Antifreeze disposal/reuse

[cranetruck]

Did a bad thing, left a bucket of used antifreeze uncovered and lost two of our hens as a result.
They have a regular source for drinking water, but must have reached up and sipped some of the antifreeze, which I had temporarily placed below the bumper of the M43.
The chickens had first become lethargic and then died within a day. Since they are "free ranging", they are free to go and eat anything within about 100 yards of the house, including stuff we have sitting around from the trucks and cars.
Stupid of me, I know better....

Antifreeze can be recycled, meanwhile keep it in a closed container!

From a Google search:
Antifreeze is toxic to humans and animals. Waste antifreeze contains heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and chromium in high enough levels to potentially make it a regulated hazardous waste, so most states strictly regulate antifreeze disposal. Antifreeze generators and state and local programs should not dump spent antifreeze on land or discharge it into a sanitary sewer, storm drain, ditch, dry well, or septic system; dumping antifreeze can cause serious water quality problems and might harm people, pets, or wildlife.
Just the Facts

• Conventional antifreeze lasts only 2 or 3 years.
  
• About 12 percent of all antifreeze produced in the United States is recycled each year, and that amount is increasing.
  
• Different chemicals in extended-life coolants allow it to last 5 years or 150,000 miles. Heavy-duty, extended-life antifreeze lasts between 400,000 and 600,000 miles with the use of a one-time extender.

 

[cessnatwin]

That is what chickens do, so yes do not leave it laying around!

 

[cessnatwin]

cats and dogs are attracted to the smell of it, and they to will drink it!

 

[Kohburn]

use the propylene glycol instead of the ethylene glycol. The propylene glycol is much less toxic and often has "taste inhibitors" added to make it unatractive to animals.

 

[glcaines]

use the propylene glycol instead of the ethylene glycol. The propylene glycol is much less toxic and often has "taste inhibitors" added to make it unatractive to animals.

Propylene glycol is not only less toxic, it is actually added to many foods. It has similar anti-freeze characteristics to ethylene glycol. You simply need to add corrosion inhibitors. I work for a company that sells a lot of industrial equipment that needs cooling. We stopped using ethylene glycol several years ago and went to propylene glycol to minimize fines and citations for accidental spills. Propylene glycol is more expensive, however.

 

[Yohan]

Sorry to hear about your chickens, Bjorn. I noticed a leaky, lower radiator hose on the M35 this weekend and had lost about a gallon of antifreeze. My neighbor gave me some and his dog headed right for a small puddle spilled on the concrete. We cleaned it up and put speedy dry on it before he had a chance to lap it up. Can't be too careful!

 

[tsstout]

So who takes that stuff?? and how much does it cost??

I intend on doing a flush this summer and looks like I'm going to end up with 48 gallons of varying (diminishing) concentrations of coolant/distilled water....

Who is going to take that... or do I only have to worry about certain concentrations of it??

Thanks.. Terry

 

[emr]

Sad for sure, But Bjorn is one of the good guys and it goes to prove it can happen to any of us, i was sloppy last year with waste oil and waste anti freeze, had it with just a canvas over the pails until I got time to dump it, well time turned into 3 months, I was lucky , but now have a waste drum, that seals.,,sorry for that, I am one of those guys who really feels bad for things that get hurt by humans.

 

[Kohburn]

most dumps have recycling tanks for used motor oil and used antifreeze.

 

[blybrook]

Check with your local landfill. Many have a hazmat recycling center that will take the fluid off your hands. Some communities have a center setup for this as well. Some repair shops will also take it off your hands to properly dispose of it.

I keep a couple old 55 gallon drums around, one for oil and another for anti-freeze mix. I get the drums for free, then just load them on a trailer to haul to the local center when they get about 3/4 full.

Some centers have a limit on how much they will take from an individual, so call ahead; you may have to make a couple trips to get rid of it all. My local center has a limit of 25 gallons per person per month (they log it), but I've been lucky so far, they'll take the extra off me due to the time between visits.

 

[tsstout]

thanks guys

 

[cranetruck]

So who takes that stuff?? and how much does it cost??

I intend on doing a flush this summer and looks like I'm going to end up with 48 gallons of varying (diminishing) concentrations of coolant/distilled water....

Who is going to take that... or do I only have to worry about certain concentrations of it??

Thanks.. Terry

Before dumping it, test the coolant to see if it can be reused.
If it's clear green, use a test strip to confirm the concentration of glycol (freeze point) and acidity (pH).
I use Cooltrak test strips. You can also send a sample to the same place that does your oil samples with a kit from NAPA.

 

[tsstout]

humm... there's something I hadn't considered...

I intend to put additions to the coolant system and just figured it would be wise to flush and refill while messing with it....

but I will do that... From the radiator it sure looks clean... So do I evacuate the radiator and test the captured stuff or just from the top of the radiator??

 

[armytruck63]

My dad and I thought our dog had licked up some antifreeze that dripped form our M38A1 before we had a chance to clean it up. The dog had a seizure and started foaming from the mouth.

The dog survived and we now think this was the first attack of epilepsy, which the dog developed a short time later.

The vet told us how deadly antifreeze poisoning is. Many dogs will survive the initial poisoning because they didn't ingest enough to be fatal, but will then die within a couple of days due to kidney failure. Either way, not something you want to happen to your beloved pet.