Old brake fluid disposal

[Ron Dawg]

I'm in the middle of a brake job on the Connie.  Our community recycles motor oil, but I have no idea what to do with the used DOT4 that I just replaced. What do you guys do with yours? I don't want to dump it someplace.
Thanks.
Ron

[tvpierce]

Wait until after dark, and dump it on your neighbor's property.    (just kidding)

My community has an annual day when they'll take things like brake fluid, old paint, etc..  Barring that, I don't know... maybe call you local cooperative extension and ask them?

[Nosmo]

Our local dump (transfer station and landfill)  has a large recycling center, for motor oil antifreeze, etc.  Other chemicals go to the Household Waste facility, they will take just about any sort of household-type hazardous or semi-hazardous waste, like brake fluids, paint, solvents, etc. (except explosives, gunpowder, etc).  See if there is one in your area.  If not check with local autoparts stores, some will take waste oil and petroleum products they can sell to recyclers.

Here's a link to our facility, just to show how they are set up.  See if you have something similar..

http://www.kitsapgov.com/sw/modwaste.htm

[Strawboss]

I have old 5 gallon buckets we used for fire dept. foam. I dump it all in except coolant. Brake fluid, trans fluid, oil, final drive fluid, they, the car parts stores, take it all, its all oil. But most all only take 5 gallons at a time. Locally theres a shop that heats its facility with used oil and they'll take my 25 gallons all at one time.

[cmoore]

+1 on what Strawboss says. I recycle it with the used oil at the local auto parts store.

[T Cro ®]

I have old 5 gallon buckets we used for fire dept. foam. I dump it all in except coolant. Brake fluid, trans fluid, oil, final drive fluid, they, the car parts stores, take it all, its all oil. But most all only take 5 gallons at a time. Locally theres a shop that heats its facility with used oil and they'll take my 25 gallons all at one time.

I do the same in that all goes in except coolact that I bring to the local auto parts store for recycle..... I brought home a 6.5 gal plastic container from work that has built in carry handle as well as a screw down pour spout; can't ask for better way to store used oils in a neat clean sealed container.

[bbroj]

The guys that burn it for heat don't like hypoid (final drive/gear oil), so I try to keep that and coolant seperate. It seems the hypoid is heavy with sulfer and that can clog the furnace injector. Most municipal waste systems can handle coolant (green, ethalyne glycol (sp?)), you can check with yours if you live in a city, you may be able to just flush coolant down the toilet.

[Ron Dawg]

Thanks. I'll check around.

[Boomer343]

Please don't dispose of automotive antifreeze in any way other than by recycling. Engine antifeeze will contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals that we don't need in any water source.

It takes hundreds of gallons of clean water to dilute one gallon of flushed antifreeze and no municipal water treatment plant that I'm aware of would sanction the dumping of used antifeeze into it's system. There are spill kits that have mats that will pass water but absorb antifreeze and they work very well.

One of the municipalities we had a shop in spent time and money tracking down a place that had dumped antifreeze into the sewer and they were following the trail up the sewer lines sniffing it out.

[bbroj]

Please don't dispose of automotive antifreeze in any way other than by recycling. Engine antifeeze will contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals that we don't need in any water source.

It takes hundreds of gallons of clean water to dilute one gallon of flushed antifreeze and no municipal water treatment plant that I'm aware of would sanction the dumping of used antifeeze into it's system. There are spill kits that have mats that will pass water but absorb antifreeze and they work very well.

One of the municipalities we had a shop in spent time and money tracking down a place that had dumped antifreeze into the sewer and they were following the trail up the sewer lines sniffing it out.

Good to know. Obviously I was given mis-information. The curious part, I had heard the same thing from several people. Can a typical municipal system perhaps handle the E.G., and the heavy metals are the problem?

[tvpierce]

Wow, great info... thanks all.

I've never thought of brake fluid as a petroleum product.  I knew it had glycols in it, and I presumed it had some degree of alcohol -- which it apparently does not.  According to this:  http://www.ecarcenter.org/ia/ia-brakefluid.htm  it is indeed petroleum based and can be safely recycled with used motor oil.