What about used coolant/brake fluid?

[Crash Cash]

The oil pan thread reminded me, but I didn't want to hijack it. The auto parts stores around here take the used oil, but they don't take anything else like coolant and brake fluid. They don't even know where to take it to, and I just get blank stares when I ask about it.

I have a lot of this since I just did the 50,000 miles on the SV-650 and put on SS brake lines too. Any suggestions? The stock answer I get is "pour it down the drain" but I'd rather that be a last resort.

 

[Ignacio]

It all varies by state, county, and maybe even local jurisdiction. Ask whoever your waste authority is...or the garbage company might know. Mine says to put it in containers, mark it, and bring it to the collection station.

 

[radman]

Actually, coolant is fine down the sink drain. Not storm sewer, but treated waste water. Brake fluid just goes in with the oil, it'll get cooked away when they re-refine the stuff.

 

[odot]

You can use old oil and coolant to fertilize your lawn.

 

[kaitsdad]

You can use old oil and coolant to fertilize your lawn.

I've found it's really fun if you treat your neighbor's lawn first - it makes for a grateful neighbor, and let's face it - most neighbor's lawns need help.

 

[BobMercer]

Crash Cash,

As a fellow Floridian I can tell you that our county (St. Lucie) landfill operation accepts all types of hazardous materials when delivered to the station. Just mark the container to enable them to properly process the contents. I take household batteries, oil, cfl lightbulbs, computer components, etc., for proper disposal. Groundwater, lakes, rivers and the ocean don't need more junk in them than they already have.

I would not add brake fluid to oil. In some states like NJ, they use a sniffer at gas stations that accept used oil, and they will reject contaminated oil. Then you have to take it to the county hazmat location which may be more inconvenient. That was my experience, for what its worth.

Bob

 

[radman]

Crash Cash,
As a fellow Floridian I can tell you that our county (St. Lucie) landfill operation accepts all types of hazardous materials when delivered to the station. Just mark the container to enable them to properly process the contents. I take household batteries, oil, cfl lightbulbs, computer components, etc., for proper disposal. Groundwater, lakes, rivers and the ocean don't need more junk in them than they already have.

I would not add brake fluid to oil. In some states like NJ, they use a sniffer at gas stations that accept used oil, and they will reject contaminated oil. Then you have to take it to the county hazmat location which may be more inconvenient. That was my experience, for what its worth.

Bob

Thats some sniffer. I have the luxury of being in the biz-I could be dumping plutonium into our 2000 gal tank, and no one would be the wiser. Concerning dumping coolant down the drain-I have it on authority having been the haz waste contact at a Chev dealership I worked at that antifreeze-at least Glycol based-is not harmful to treated wastewater, and in fact, is beneficial to the bacteria mix they depend on for breakdown. The EPA rep that gave us the class said it's not widely disseminated info, as people tend to over simplify, and think they can start dumping everything. But he assured us, coolant isn't the bad guy in waste world.

 

[Harald]

The sniffer may not be able to detect brake fluid in used oil, but there's a very simple test to check for solvents in used oil. It may vary in other states, but here in WA a business can get rid of clean used oil for free but if there's any solvents in it then it's hazardous waste and it's gonna cost! So please don't mix solvents in with your oil that you're disposing.

 

[chrisflock]

You can use old oil and coolant to fertilize your lawn.

I received that same advice last summer, and I tried it. Much to my surprise, it worked great! All that stupid, annoying green crap quit sprouting in my yard, and now I have a lush, brown lawn that I haven't had to mow all year! :yahoo:

 

[Windjammer]

I pour used brake fluid and coolant down my well. Keeps the well pump lubricated and minimizes rust in the water pipes. Don't taste all that bad neither.

 

[squeezer]

Actually, coolant is fine down the sink drain. Not storm sewer, but treated waste water. Brake fluid just goes in with the oil, it'll get cooked away when they re-refine the stuff.

That's been my habit.

 

[chrisflock]

Brake fluid makes a great car polish.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Brake fluid makes a great car polish.

Really? I gotta try that this afternoon since its a nice day out and the car needs washing and waxing. :clapping:

THANKS for the tip. :yahoo:

 

[Checkswrecks]

Mix the brake fluid with Pepsi and rum.

Brake fluid can't hurt you, right?

Oh, that was Skydrol.

Never mind.

(Some people will get it.)

 

[Powerman]

I had the problem Harald mentioned at the power plant I worked at. Big used oil tank that all the pump, gearbox oil etc went in. Worked for years, guy paid for the waste oil. Tested for solvents, and then it was expensive hazardous waste. The mechanics would clean out the drain pans with some kind of Chlorofluorocarbon solvent. So they took away all the good stuff and replaced it with crap that doesn't work very well. The new solvent didn't dry up so they used contact cleaner after it. The contact cleaner evaporated and didn't give a positive. All the good stuff was horded into locked drawers with different labels glued on.

I take my oil to the county landfill site and put it in the supplied tank. By it on the ground can be seen the empty containers of solvents, paint, pesticides, and god knows what else. That has to be the nastiest toxic soup imaginable. Too bad, because they do many other good things there.

 

[Crash Cash]

Thats some sniffer. I have the luxury of being in the biz-I could be dumping plutonium into our 2000 gal tank, and no one would be the wiser.

Back in '83 or so I used to work at a cat litter plant in Lowell. We had a 300ft kiln to bake the emathalite into kitty litter and we fueled it with waste oil. We ran the oil through a gas chromatograph looking for PCBs and other nasties. We could tell the source and manufacture of the PCBs by looking at the spikes, e.g. that it was from Japanese-made power transformer oil. If we found PCBs, we had to have the oil truck steam cleaned which was very expensive, and a cost we passed on to our waste oil supplier, so our supplier was very careful with what he accepted.

So yes, we could tell.

You can use old oil and coolant to fertilize your lawn.

Actually I already use vinegar to do that, and it smells nicer too!

 

[Crash Cash]

As a fellow Floridian I can tell you that our county (St. Lucie) landfill operation accepts all types of hazardous materials when delivered to the station. Just mark the container to enable them to properly process the contents. I take household batteries, oil, cfl lightbulbs, computer components, etc., for proper disposal. Groundwater, lakes, rivers and the ocean don't need more junk in them than they already have.

OK, this gave me the idea to search Google for the Fla Dept of Environmental Protection and the Orange county pages, and it turns out the local landfill isn't too far away, only about 7 miles. I also have a couple of used batteries to go as well. Thanks for the tip.

 

[madmike2]

You can use old oil and coolant to fertilize your lawn.

Actually I already use vinegar to do that, and it smells nicer too!

That might also discourage mosquitoes and other flying insects.

 

[Crash Cash]

Mix the brake fluid with Pepsi and rum. Brake fluid can't hurt you, right?

Oh, that was Skydrol.

Eww. A friend was a Delta mechanic, and I heard enough rants about Skydrol, stupid airplane designers, and how he was the best damn plane fettler in the world and everybody else was just a ******** wrench monkey. On the other hand, he showed me some really nifty tricks for bleeding brakes.