Washing and drain for hazardous waste

Every now and then I need to wash chemicals. I wish I could say that I never use solvents but that's really not the case. For motor oil I have a collector, but I'm curious between septic and a gray water system where I would wash off paint brushes, as an example. Or if I applied a de-greaser to get teflon or lithium off of some mechanical parts, where would I pour the resulting grossness? I can put a 50 gallon drum under a make-shift sink I suppose, then figure out what to do with the contents of the drum. Again, curious what others do.

Motor oil can be used in a shed heater
paint brushes solvent can go into a container, then evaporated off and the waste put to special chemical places.
Or landfill??
You may want to use a smaller drum for degreasers so you can move them.
From memory its possible to get a degreaser that is much better environmentally.
Good luck!

It is a problem.  I wonder if you can do a reed or willow bed just for that and use the biomass for firewood?

Triple7 Heavy Duty
SKU: AAHD-W
A heavy duty, water based, quick break degreaser and cleaner

High-Tech, Environmentally Sustainable
Heavy Duty Industrial Degreaser
Quick Break Degreaser
Mould & Moss Remover
Non Toxic, No Hazardous Chemicals
Eco-Friendly, Readily Biodegradable
Non-Reactive to Surfaces
No Special Storage, Handling or Disposal Requirements
Enhances Oily Water Separator Efficiency
NSN 7930-66-159-7251 – 5Ltr Bottle
NSN 7930-66-152-0078 – 20Ltr Drum
NSN 7930-66-152-0079 – 200Ltr Drum

Triple7 Heavy Duty is a powerful water based, quick break degreaser and cleaner that is free from toxic or hazardous chemicals making it safe to use and eco-friendly.

This specially formulated chemistry penetrates and lifts hydrocarbon soils including fats, oils, greases and proteins without creating permanent emulsions which can cause major issues for waste water systems and the environment.

CRC Bio Degreaser is biodegradable, non-toxic, non-hazardous, non-flammable, pH balanced, and water soluble. The advanced formula is powerful but non-abrasive, non-corrosive and solvent free.

“It has been specially formulated to penetrate and dissolve tough grease, oil and contaminants for easy removal – with a focus on personal and environmental safety.

CRC Bio Degreaser is gentle on the environment being biodegradable with all ingredients readily decomposable. There are no EHS environmental warnings on the label.

“These properties make it ideal for use in many applications especially where there are regulations or restrictions in place concerning the types of products that can be safely used or allowed onto sites,’’ Mrs Fitzgerald said.

In Australia we have a product produced by Sceneys Chemicals called Ezy Clean.
Any brushes that have solvent based paints are dipped into this liquid, agitated just a bit and them the brush can be cleaned in water.
It vastly reduces the amount of solvent in the workshop.
Ezy Clean for brushes

Getting rid of poison costs. One way or another, whatever way you choose to do it. Once you look under the surface of civilization, you see stuff they didn't tell you about growing up and that you'd rather find a way to avoid.

So, your choice. Pay the cost? Make the effort? Because from here, there is no way that remotely compares with the blind free ride the local garbage company and the toilet gives people of developed countries.

The only ways I know of involve getting it into the hands of some business certified to make it disappear from your life. It takes a kind of leap of faith  when trying to figure out if that's really going to help much. Usually you pay for the privilege of handling the poison "properly" and your neighbors almost never follow your example.

This is not a trivial question. I think it cuts to the very heart of our concept of human beings. When we _know_ about a terrible thing, do we do something different? What are we willing to pay to go through the motions of making it all better? I doubt there is any answer, but I'm pretty sure it's important to at least try.


Cheers,
Rufus

Solvents… burning them with enough air? Evaporating might be an option, if it isn't harmful in the air.

Many municipalities have toxic waste round-up days for residents. IMO it's probably better to collect it and send it for disposal at a controlled facility.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:Many municipalities have toxic waste round-up days for residents. IMO it's probably better to collect it and send it for disposal at a controlled facility.

That's probably what I'll do. Just to address a couple of other items:

- For sure, I try to not bring gross chemicals (really, petroleum products) into the house. Some of those options listed look rad, I'll buy a couple of bottles and try them out.

- As far as just doing away with poisonous stuff in general, it's just not practical for me. If you maintain an internal combustion machine you end up working with petroleum products be it fuel or lubricants. At least I do. Even when degreasing with something biologically friendly, the grease itself is still there.

Thanks every body, I'll fashion a simple sink sitting over a 50 gallon drum and try to make it last as long as possible before it fills up.

Don't beat yourself up too much. It's pretty well impossible to live a modern life without using some gicky stuff. Life is the art of the possible, not the perfect.

I think the practical and responsible route is to understand which stuff is the worst in terms of persistence, toxicity, and threat to water and soil. Then minimize use and dispose of it responsibly.

Just by acknowledging the risk and taking reasonable mitigation measures, you're miles ahead of the crowd.