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Those of you in areas that offer no coolant recycling - what do you do?


idosubaru
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*** Auto parts stores take oil only here - no antifreeze.

 

Where I live in WV - there's no place to recycle coolant....what are you folks doing with antifreeze? (you might have to email me your response LOL?)

 

In Maryland Advance Auto would take coolant with oil, that's not the case for the Advance Auto's here in WV, I guess they use a different recycling program or it's changed.

 

"Technically" speaking I have been told that shops are required to take coolant...but the last time i went they didn't want it so I left with it, i'm not pressing it.

 

I'm not well versed on toxins or degrading but this entire area has no coolant recycling at all....yet a lot of people work on their own stuff out here - where's it all going?

 

Down the city sewage drains at night?

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Actually I've had the same questions.

 

There used to be a farm equipment place that took it to put into the tires - not much more toxic than calcium I guess.

 

I hear (from someone at the local sewage authority) it's legal to dump down the drain.

 

My weekend place has septic and I have to kill all the bacteria every year with winterizing it with windshield washer and anti-freeze in the sink traps and toilet.

 

None of my local parts places, or garages that want free oil will take coolant.

 

So I guess first question is public sewer or septic?

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i spent way too much time searching and got nowhere except "Recycle it"...all over WV government websites. that's a nice suggestion....

 

i would think it's bad for septic unless you're in a unique situation..otherwise it hampers the biomechanical process that bacteria serve by killing them? but it will surprise you to know i'm not a septic expert. LOL

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A local town has a "recycle day" last sat of every month. They take most anything, charge a buck or two per tire. Something special about taking old paint too.

 

They may take antifreeze then - I jsut don't know.

 

I'll be curious on what you turn up. It's like the stuff "just disappears".

 

I take it to a dealer - but don't have a clue what they do with it, that's why I take it there!

 

They get my used oil, they get the coolant too!

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Contact the local wastewater treatment department. Many allow it to be poured into the toilet. Be careful that you don't put it in a typical drain as many in garage floors, etc don't drain to the treatment center but straight to the local water supply thru street drain off (creek, river, ocean, etc).

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You hit it right on the head. I pour it down the drain in the basement and run a lot of soap/water. Or the gutter outside and let it run into the road.

 

I've never checked if Wisconsin has a Coolant recycling center, but I really don't feel like wasting my time with it either. I also pour excessive contaminated fuel in the gutter or in my driveway so it evaps. AND I have been known to dump gear oil down the drain, not that often as I don't want my sewer to clog up.

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All of it is toxic. I try not to dump it anywhere anymore if i can.

 

We have hazardous waste disposal day once a month here, they take anything except explosives, ammunition, and latex paint (still trying to figur out that one).

 

If you are truly stuck on how to dispose of hazardous liquids, get a cheap bag of kitty littler, let it absorb all the material, then throw it out with the regular trash.

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I don't get the Latex paint thing either. Here, they will take it, but it must be in dry form. I dunno about you, but does anyone know how long it takes for a full gallon of latex paint to dry with the lid off?

 

I can toss it out at work though, just don't tell anyone it was me Lol!

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DO NOT PUT COOLANT INTO YOUR GROUNDWATER!!!!!!

 

As a Hydrologic Technician I can tell you that it can take as little as 5-7 days for oil that gets spilt onto the ground to reach your water supply/aquifer/spring .(lots of factors here)Coolant takes less time.If you pour your fluids into the street you are just adding to the problem.

Some places have different systems.Most are NOT combined sewer overflow, some are.If they are then it really doesna matter.IF IT IS NOT THOUGH, you should do the toilet trick.please, save your water supply by educating yourself further on these points.

cheers

This is not a subject that will have the same answer in all areas of the nation.

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I don't get the Latex paint thing either. Here, they will take it, but it must be in dry form. I dunno about you, but does anyone know how long it takes for a full gallon of latex paint to dry with the lid off?

 

I can toss it out at work though, just don't tell anyone it was me Lol!

 

https://www.google.com/webhp?rlz=1C1ASUM_enUS473US473&sourceid=chrome-instant&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1C1ASUM_enUS473US473&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=wisconsin%20coolant%20recycling&oq=&gs_l=&pbx=1&fp=4fc1c984211b8d1b&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=939

 

Seem like a pretty smart guy in your posts. Why can't you just recycle it properly? You aren't "friends" with any auto shops that would let your pour yours in their waste tanks?

 

Its interesting, in the time it took me to search for the Wisconsin results linked above it also found this very thread. Google wastes no time.

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Shawn, I suppose I could recycle it the correct way. I don't know where in Waukesha County would take it. I'm not gonna drive 60min RT to Milwaukee, Dane County is way up north ect. I can do a google search for areas around Waukesha, and I agree, Good is the shiz for searching!

 

As for befriending Auto shops ect, no, I have not befriended any auto shops, as I never take car car to any of them.

 

I do recycle my used oil and such, I've only poured gear oil down the drain maybe twice, as I had nothing to put it in and just wanted to be done. Waukesha does indeed have a bushel of oil recycling facilities. :headbang:

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Shawn, I suppose I could recycle it the correct way. I don't know where in Waukesha County would take it. I'm not gonna drive 60min RT to Milwaukee, Dane County is way up north ect. I can do a google search for areas around Waukesha, and I agree, Good is the shiz for searching!

 

As for befriending Auto shops ect, no, I have not befriended any auto shops, as I never take car car to any of them.

 

I do recycle my used oil and such, I've only poured gear oil down the drain maybe twice, as I had nothing to put it in and just wanted to be done. Waukesha does indeed have a bushel of oil recycling facilities. :headbang:

 

Im certainly not outing you. You're pretty big to admit it. At the same time, just recycle it man! :clap: You don't have a shop do an alignment or something that requires expensive tools beyond the DIYer?

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Im certainly not outing you. You're pretty big to admit it. At the same time, just recycle it man! :clap: You don't have a shop do an alignment or something that requires expensive tools beyond the DIYer?

 

Lol, no worries man.

 

As for alignment, I've been getting pretty lucky adjusting the tie rods my self until it drives straight. I guess the only thing I have done at a shop, is tire mounting and everything that goes with that. but I never take the car there, just the wheels. Nobody touches my car. :cool:

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gear oil - can't you just dump that in your oil containers?

 

i still haven't called the local waste water place, guess that's the next step. i'm surprised and not surprised at the same time. i hate to think what most people in this state are doing, but i highly doubt it's anything good.

 

how about i stick a huge metal drum in the middle of my burn piles...will the antifreeze cook out when i burn?

equally environmentally friendly i suppose?

 

but I never take the car there, just the wheels. Nobody touches my car. :cool:
right on! that's me too. another advantage is no waiting. i drop off a wheel (or set) and pick it up later. a couple minutes to install myself verses waiting in a waiting room.

 

an old Subaru XT member was a tire alignment guy and suggested never getting alignments until it was showing signs....it's probably saved me a lot of alignments over the years. i don't ever get them unless there's a compelling need and have racked up a lot of miles without them. i forgot to mark suspension orientation once and had an alignment due to scalloping rear tires...which didn't fix it, rear struts fixed it. other than that i haven't had any other alignments in like 15 years....even when i replaced a bent control arm during some snowy offroading, lucky i guess.

Edited by grossgary
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Nip, I know! You couldn't resist the temptation of gaining the power of Safariwagon, you just had to touch it.. :-p

 

Gary, yes, you can mix the Gear oil with the Motor oil. I just didn't have anything to put it in once time (Oil container was full up as I didn't take it to get it dumped)

 

Dunno about burning/steaming the Antifreeze in a fire. I'm not sure if the steam is bad or not. But the idea would indeed work, the smell of hot, sweat substance would probably become unbearable after a while lol.

 

Yeah I hate waiting in a room until my vehicle is done. My folks never took the whole car anywhere, so thats where I picked it up on. Plus, sometimes it costs less since you don't need to occupy a service bay.

 

As for polluting the water supply around here, well, up north has it pretty much covered with the Paper mills and shiz dumping crap into the Fox River, which travels most of WI and down to IL. Its pretty horrible just thinking about what a corporation is dumping into our water. I'm not a tree hugger, but I have a decent respect for the earth and nature, I try not to be a total pig. But sometimes you are forced to do somethings you're not too keen on doing, because proper facilities are to far away or are few and far between.

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My folks never took the whole car anywhere, so thats where I picked it up on. Plus, sometimes it costs less since you don't need to occupy a service bay.

 

 

Electrical repairs must have been fun

 

(envinsions wiring harness in a box)

 

:brow:

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Where i live there are no recycling facilities anywhere for anything. no cardboard, plastic, glass, nothing. used motor oil is used for oil burning heaters in the winter, not even the parts stores will take it. we are to far out of the way for it to be picked up. i pour antifreeze down the sink myself. everyone else waters their lawn with it.

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A few ideas.

Call your local waste disposal authority.

Your local Fire Department may know where such substances can be disposed of.

Check your city/county's website for their environmental protection/management department. If there isn't information on their website, find a phone number and call them. If there is no info online, call City Hall or the county main office and ask.

 

I had the same problem here. I figured there must be some local government entity that would have information about the location of a proper disposal facility for used antifreeze and household toxic waste. And through my county's website I found out the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority has a collection center at their main transfer station about 5 minutes out of town, and they take used antifreeze and motor oil for free.

Other things such as paint or household cleaners/ poisons they will take on certain days throughout the year.

 

 

 

Last time I had paint to get rid of, I poured some on a big sheet of cardboard (placed in such a way that it won't all just run off) and let it to dry in the sun. 30 minutes was all it took. Then poured more on top of that, repeated the process until I had dried a half gallon of paint into about 1/4" thick sheet on top of the cardboard. When I was satisfied that it was dry, I folded it up and tossed it in the garbage can along with the empty paint can. :D

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Where i live there are no recycling facilities anywhere for anything. no cardboard, plastic, glass, nothing. used motor oil is used for oil burning heaters in the winter, not even the parts stores will take it. we are to far out of the way for it to be picked up. i pour antifreeze down the sink myself. everyone else waters their lawn with it.

 

 

http://deq.mt.gov/Recycle/Where-to-Recycle_New.mcpx does that help?

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