Recycled car fluids all get put in same container?

[JEDI]

Advanced Auto has free recycling for car fluids.
But everything (oil, transmission fluid,etc) goes in the Same container.

How does the recycling plant recycle it?

 

[Red Squirrel]

I sometimes wonder about this kind of stuff, if they even do recycle it. Someone I know changed their own oil, went to the dump to dispose of it properly, the lady said he can only put 1 litre, and to just go throw the rest in the bush or something. WTF!

 

[freeskier93]

It's usually just re-refined to more basic petroleum products like heating oil (burned for heat/power) or to go in other stuff like asphalt. It doesn't get "recycled" into new oil so they don't really care if it's all mixed together.

EDIT: Here's what Advance Auto says. Looks like it can actually be re-refined into new motor oil, but I'd imagine vast majority of it is used in furnaces.

https://m.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/car-maintenance/why-recycle-motor-oil

 

[Rubycon]

Use waste oil to heat your garage or shop!

 

[stargazr]

You can mix motor oil with transmission fluid, but no anti-freeze. That's a little harder to get rid of.

 

[freeskier93]

You can mix motor oil with transmission fluid, but no anti-freeze. That's a little harder to get rid of.

If you're on city sewer then it's usually fine to dump antifreeze down the toilet. Waste treatment plants can process it just fine, the only real harm is too much because the microorganisms they use will prefer the ethylene glycol over the regular waste.

It's a good idea to check with local authorities first though and actual recycling would be the preferred method.

Never put antifreeze down storm drains or down the toilet if you are on septic.

 

[JEDI]

It's usually just re-refined to more basic petroleum products like heating oil (burned for heat/power) or to go in other stuff like asphalt. It doesn't get "recycled" into new oil so they don't really care if it's all mixed together.

EDIT: Here's what Advance Auto says. Looks like it can actually be re-refined into new motor oil, but I'd imagine vast majority of it is used in furnaces.

https://m.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/car-maintenance/why-recycle-motor-oil

wha?
I think antifreeze goes in the same container

 

[freeskier93]

wha?
I think antifreeze goes in the same container

Read the damn link.

 

[JEDI]

Read the damn link.

nothing in it about antifreeze?
or r u saying people shouldn't bring in anti-freeze and dump it into that same container?

 

[freeskier93]

nothing in it about antifreeze?
or r u saying people shouldn't bring in anti-freeze and dump it into that same container?

1. Don't mix fluids. Motor oil mixed with other automotive fluids, like windshield washer or brake fluid, can't be recycled. Also avoid storing used motor oil in containers that once housed other fluids.

Antifreeze would quite clearly fall in the category of "other automotive fluids" that shouldn't be mixed with oil.

 

[RLGL]

Recycled motor oil is re- re-fined into many products such as; bar and chain oil, wheel bearing grease, motor oil...............

 

[mpo]

If you're on city sewer then it's usually fine to dump antifreeze down the toilet. Waste treatment plants can process it just fine, the only real harm is too much because the microorganisms they use will prefer the ethylene glycol over the regular waste.

It's a good idea to check with local authorities first though and actual recycling would be the preferred method.

Never put antifreeze down storm drains or down the toilet if you are on septic.

It's not a good idea to pour antifreeze into the sewer system. Sure the system's bugs will like the ethylene glycol over their regular waste.

The used antifreeze will likely carry a some heavy metal contamination. Too much heavy metal load may cause problems for discharge permits and/or sludge disposal.

 

[Red Squirrel]

If you're going to poor stuff like that down the drain dilute it, a lot. Like leave the water running, make a pin hole in the bottle, and let it leak in the sink with water running, and let it do it's thing. If your water is metered this won't work though, well, it will, but it's going to cost you more than if you paid a company to dispose of it properly.

 

[who?]

Take it to your local household hazardous waste drop off place.

 

[freeskier93]

It's not a good idea to pour antifreeze into the sewer system. Sure the system's bugs will like the ethylene glycol over their regular waste.

The used antifreeze will likely carry a some heavy metal contamination. Too much heavy metal load may cause problems for discharge permits and/or sludge disposal.

Heavy metal contamination isn't much of a concern these days since pretty much no radiators/heater cores are made with lead containing solder. Everyone (OEMs) moved to aluminum cores crimped to plastic tanks about 20 years ago.

Kind of a funny concern though when you consider the fact that many service lines to homes are made from lead pipe and the solder used to join the copper piping in your house probably contains lead. Granted the system is also designed around scale build up in the pipes, but when that fails you have the situation seen in Flint.

Like I said though, always best to check with local authorities because some places say it's fine and others do not.

If you're going to poor stuff like that down the drain dilute it, a lot. Like leave the water running, make a pin hole in the bottle, and let it leak in the sink with water running, and let it do it's thing. If your water is metered this won't work though, well, it will, but it's going to cost you more than if you paid a company to dispose of it properly.

All dilution does is reduce the toxicity. If you live out in the boonies with nowhere to recycle it and have a septic system then yeah, dilute the hell out of it and dump it somewhere where it will soak into the ground. Like I said, it's biodegradable and becomes harmless pretty quick.

If you're putting it down a sanitary drain it's already going to get extremely diluted from mixing with all the other waste water isn't the system. 2 gallons of antifreeze is still 2 gallons of antifreeze that will go through waste treatment, regardless of concentration.