Eco-friendly coolant handling

[rwmastel]

What's the best environmentally friendly way to dispose of antifreeze/coolant?  I feel bad letting it go down the storm drains to the open water ways.  I don't want people catching 3-eyed fish down stream!

I have a large bin to catch it in, but where to take it?

[JamesL]

What do you do with the oil you changed out?

I'd take mine to the local recycling centre - previously known here as the Council Tip. They have a bin for just about everything, from watch batteries upwards

I separate it, and they then dump it in landfill when I am not looking. Probably

[waqas]

I take all my old anti-freeze, oil, brake fluid, and old fuel to the local hazardous waste chemical disposal facility in Austin (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/sws/hhw.htm).  I imagine you have one local to you in Ohio where you can make an occasional trip.

Anti-freeze is pretty toxic stuff. What makes it especially lethal is that it's sweet smelling. So cats and dogs love to have a drink. Please try to keep your old anti-freeze in sealed containers.

http://www.petshealth.com/dr_library/antifreeze.html

[69280sl]

In my area, the local fire dept keeps a list of places that will accept things that shouldn't be disposed of. A Mobil gas station a few miles away takes coolant.

Gus
68 280sl

[rwmastel]

OK guys, thanks!

[J. Huber]

I use the green anti-freeze, so I can just pour it in the yard, can't I?

(ok, well I don't -- we too have a local Hazardous Waste Facility here... endearingly known as "The Dump...")

[Raymond]

We know James is joking.  No you shouldn't dump green or any other color fluids from our cars on the ground.  It will all contain some form of contaminate and will add to the bits of haz mats getting into the ground water and eventually our drinking water.  There are just too many of us on the planet for any of us to contribute even one drip to the total of contaminants getting into our food and water.  

Just because a product says it is environmentally friendly, doesn't mean the stuff it picked up during usage is.  Assume it is all poison and do your part to help.  Please.

[J. Huber]

Yes, I was just kidding. Around here, it is pretty easy to dispose of hazardous stuff using the local transfer station. They have become more strict with batteries (little ones), flourescent bulbs, and household chemicals. On certain days, the guy dresses like a spaceman and has you hand him the stuff carefully. A little over the top I think. Things like paint & oil and anti-freeze are less of a production -- you just drop them off any old day -- and they take care of it.