Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2010 14:09:49 -0400
Reply-To: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Some potentially stupid questions
In-Reply-To: <20101104135058.O8UD2.1750325.imail@eastrmwml40>
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I have been told by the local sewage manager as well as by others told by
similar people in bigger cities that the system "can" handle t, as long as
it's not much. If everyone dumps a few gallons at the same time..... we have
a problem.
But in my experience, the products I"m left with are pretty thoroughly
broken down already due to age and dissociation, as well as thoroughly
dilluted. I could understand how the system could process this if put in via
small quantities, and I personally don't worry when small amounts of
antifreeze drip onto the garage floor and may be washed away. Am I going to
go to the sink and dump buckets of it? Not yet, hopefully never.
But again, I personally wouldn't worry about it too much.
I happen to know that it breaks down very fast, particularly when exposed to
oxygen and UV light. Put a saucer of it outside in the sun. You won't have
to worry about the cats getting too it if they don't in the first 24hours.
So it might be reasonable to do the following:
Place your used antifreeze well out of the reach of animals, perhaps with a
screen over it, in saucers in the sun. In a day or so, filter it through a
coffee filter or two removing the bulk of the "Stuff" (You will find, there
is alot of suspended "Stuff" in it!), then dillute and do what you must with
it. Hopefully this entails taking it to the local recyclers or auto parts
store.
I am not a chemist, but I am armed with the powers of observation and an
acute understanding of natural phenomena.
-Craig
'85GL turned WESTY
BOSTIG in the back
'87 SUNROOF SYNCRO
On Thu, Nov 4, 2010 at 1:50 PM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
> ---- "Jack R." <jack007@COMCAST.NET> wrote:
>
> > Our local city/water department said it is fine to pour used anti-freeze
> down the drain to the sanitary sewer system.
> > Also, see other water departments approve of this... Best to check with
> your local city to see if they approve.
> >
> http://www.cityofames.org/worksweb/operations/StormSewers/StormSewerInformation.htm
> > Safe Disposal for Large Amounts of Anti-freeze
> > The anti-freeze from a single radiator can be safely disposed of in a
> sanitary sewer and treated by the City's wastewater treatment plant.
> However, large quantities from commercial or fleet maintenance programs will
> upset the plant's biological system and are prohibited.
> >
> > Any anti-freeze discharge directly into a river or stream can cause
> environmental damage to fish and other aquatic life, and is not allowed. Dry
> weather compounds the problems from these illegal discharges.
> >
> > When there is very little water in area streams, there is virtually no
> dilution occurring. During dry conditions, wildlife are drawn to any
> available water they can find. Also, the lower water levels make improper
> discharges much easier to spot.
> >
> > NOTE: DO NOT DISPOSE IN STORM SEWER OR IF YOU HAVE A SEPTIC SYSTEM!!!
>
> Many entities allow sanitary sewer disposal of antifreeze. That does not
> mean that it is a reasonable thing to do. Used antifreeze contains metals
> in addition to the organics that the sewage treatment plant may or may not
> handle adequately via the microbial breakdown by which it handles other
> organics. Fact is, the environmental microbiology course I took, we sampled
> radiators at junkyards, and cultured the samples in the lab with ethylene
> glycol as a substrate. Excellent growth, and evidently good breakdown.
> However, that does not mean that those microbes are present in the
> receiving sewage system, and it does not mean that other toxics beyond
> ethylene glycol are absent.
>
> If a disposal agent will take it, that is the place for it to go.
>
> David McNeely
>
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