Old Coolant - Eco disposal

[Colin]

Chaps,

Bit of aside-liner, this one;

Probably many of you like me, do not have a functioning stop-cock drain valve at bottom of Rad..

So to drain it or flush the system, the bottom hose comes off.

With the best will in the world, I find it hardly capturable and it goes everywhere. 

Now, I AM like most people, conscious of the state of our environment and occasionally feel guilty at running a 50 year old non-eco friendly car.

Last few times I've had to do such jobs, I did it in high Summer and hoped the hot sloping drive and a slow crawl into the gutter would evaporate most of its volume before soaking into the watercourses or earth.

I haven't yet - but I guess I will, ask my local garage how they deal with disposal of anti-freeze and wondered what other members do with theirs.

Obvs, old oil goes to the tip . . . 

Now to charge this phone. Will check replies later! 

Best, 

C.

[JohnD]

Thing is not to let coolant pool in puddles, because it tastes sweet and may lapped up by pets, possible wild animals, and it's rather poisonous.    Catch as much as possible in a basin - I use an old baby bath! - and flush spills down the drain with a hose.

You will have an empty antifreeze container when you have completed the refill with fresh.  Pour the old stuff in there and take to a recycling centre.

John

[Chris A]

6 minutes ago, JohnD said:

Catch as much as possible in a basin - I use an old baby bath!

I use an old washing up bowl which is large enough to catch the initial liquid when removing the hose and stop it going onto the ground

[Colin Lindsay]

I drain into a large, wide plastic container that fits under the car, drain that into an old 25l plastic drum, then the local recycling centre takes it when I visit, along with all the old engine oil.

I have recently tried that Prestone coolant so it gets collected, filtered, and refilled again.

[68vitesse]

Around here, Norfolk, recycling centres will not take antifreeze, but once a year have been having hazardous waste days when they will take antifreeze, liquid paint etc.

Last one I attended the queue was enormous.

Regards

Paul 

[foshi]

pour mine in the fish pond stops it freezing in the winter . joking of course , take mine to the local garage packet of biscuits keeps them happy they dispose for me paul

[Colin]

68Vitesse:- I too think many local 'tips', may not take it . . . 

I confess to not having tried OR asked (yet), but certainly intend to.

Cheers All!

C.

[daverclasper]

1 hour ago, foshi said:

take mine to the local garage packet of biscuits keeps them happy they dispose for me paul

Wow. I wonder what they actually do with it?, as surely, to do it properly, trade waste would be very more expensive, than even posh biscuits.

[JohnD]

My recycling centre has a large tankt hat you pour waste oil into, but it's not monitored, the 'operatives' have other things to do.  It always has a crop of containers around it, some of coolant.

[PeteH]

Since around 2012, Antifreeze (Ethyelene Glycol) has had an aditive intended to make the fluid taste bitter enough to make children and animals spit it out. It degrades on the earth in about 10 days to 4 weeks. Not that it is recomended. Disposal, even in the public sewer system renders it so weak as to be negligable. Propylene Glycol is less toxic, and breaks chemically into lactic acid IF ingested. Either way, I guess recycling facilities should be able to take it? Maybe it`s just another case of "Jobsworthness?". I have to admit I haven`t changed Coolant on any of my vehicles in a long while, it`s usually done by the garage, what they do with it is??????.

Pete

[Colin]

Looks like it varies place to place . . . but the news that somd types bio-degrade is encouraging.

On another note; is it true aluminium rads disperse heat quicker & more efficiently than our good ol' steel (???)/ conventional originally fitted units?

And yes, I realise if I were to go that route I'd not be able to use the Soda Crystal system cleansing method!! 

😉😉

Best,

C.

[Josef]

I also take mine to my local garage (spoke to the founder of it a few years back, he did his apprenticeship on Heralds and Standard 8/10s!)

[thescrapman]

Mine always goes back in afterwards, usually via a cloth to filter out the lumps. Or an old tea strainer if I can find it.

Never dreamt to try recycling it. 

The local dump used to love old engine oil as they used it to heated their hut. 

That one is one now closed and it has become very difficult to dispose or recycle anything. Latest hair-brained idea is appointments to visit.

Expecting an increase in fly-tipping as no-one will be bothered to book a slot a month or so ahead.

 

[Chris A]

55 minutes ago, thescrapman said:

The local dump used to love old engine oil as they used it to heated their hut. 

I called into the local little garage last week and he was using such a heater. I asked, with a smile on m face, if it wasn't still allowed he replied he didn't know and I said we won't ask. Must say it was giving out a fair amount of heat from a small unit plus the 'exhaust' was clear not black smoke.

[Dick Twitchen]

11 hours ago, thescrapman said:

Latest hair-brained idea is appointments to visit.

We have had that locally for several years now and initial scepticism has worn off.  Quick check online and rarely have to wait more than a couple of hours (cuppa time) for a slot and none of that queuing for ages on a Saturday/Sunday.  The fly tipping remains.

[Chris A]

1 hour ago, Dick Twitchen said:

We have had that locally for several years now and initial scepticism has worn off.  Quick check online and rarely have to wait more than a couple of hours (cuppa time) for a slot and none of that queuing for ages on a Saturday/Sunday.  The fly tipping remains.

I'm clearly spoilt here in rural Normandy. The recycling centre in the big village, 4Kms away, takes everything but old oil. If there is 1 vehicle ahead of me then it's a busy period and the chap there does help offload. 'Downside' is it is only open afternoons on Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday. To get rid of old oil I have to go to the one in town, 10kms away. BUT I can come away with a load of compost for the garden free of charge.

[Pete Lewis]

1 hour ago, Chris A said:

compost for the garden free of charge.

thats good over  here they take my composting garden waste charge us £40 and you get absolutely nothing back 

pete

[Nigel Clark]

Cat litter trays are cheap and make excellent receptacles for draining coolant, oil etc. They're also useful for parts storage or stripping down small legend e.g. carbs.

Nigel

[Colin]

Chaps - All true words. I remember the small waste disposal place just outside where I lived in Burgundy taking pretty much everything and yes, the guy there would help! Some Councils here declared they'd take your composting material for a price but they'd then sell you back bags of compost, discounted. That didn't last long! 😁

[Colin]

I inherited some cat litter trays from my cat-mad Aunt. I use mine as a drip-tray (yes I know, the engine shouldn't drip). 😁

[68vitesse]

7 minutes ago, Colin said:

I inherited some cat litter trays from my cat-mad Aunt. I use mine as a drip-tray (yes I know, the engine shouldn't drip). 😁

What have you got against Triumphs carefully designed anti rust system?.

Regards

Paul

[Colin]

🤣🤣 it also seems to distribute itself quite nicely by spreading down the main spars, so actually I could do with another tray further back, too!! Before anyone panics, it's only minor drips, occasionally! 😉

[Chris A]

30 minutes ago, Colin said:

(yes I know, the engine shouldn't drip). 😁

If it isn't dripping there is no oil in it 😁

[68vitesse]

9 minutes ago, Chris A said:

If it isn't dripping there is no oil in it 😁

Exactly.

Regards

Paul

[Colin]

At 143k miles, I'm not too surprised . . . 🙂