Environmental question

[Dryad]

At the risk of upsetting any Jeremy Clarkson fans out there, I often wonder what people do with the potentially hazardous waste generated when restoring a vehicle, such as old brake fluid, degreasants and paint removers such as Gunk and Nitromors which require components to be rinsed with water after treatment. Personally speaking, I would feel very uncomfortable about putting it down a drain, given that the labels state they are very harmful to aquatic life. Does anyone have any sensible suggestions for the disposal of this stuff?

[bmcecosse]

All mine goes in the black bin! Used engine oil is excellent for 'lighting up'

[Ratbag]

It all gets decanted into used 5l screenwash/engine oil tins & taken to the council tip for disposal.
Used gunwash/celly thinners get used for lighting up the bonfire....

Phil.

[mike.perry]

Haven't got much aquatic life down our drains!
Seriously, it all goes into a large plastic container that I fished out of a river and when that is full it is taken to the council recycling plant

[d_harris]

Yep, into a 25litre drum and then off to the tip.

[chickenjohn]

At the risk of upsetting any Jeremy Clarkson fans out there, I often wonder what people do with the potentially hazardous waste generated when restoring a vehicle, such as old brake fluid, degreasants and paint removers such as Gunk and Nitromors which require components to be rinsed with water after treatment. Personally speaking, I would feel very uncomfortable about putting it down a drain, given that the labels state they are very harmful to aquatic life. Does anyone have any sensible suggestions for the disposal of this stuff?

I collect it all in old plastic container and then pour it all over the most visible area of a local beauty spot!

But, seriously - all can be disposed at your local coouncil dump. I asked and was told to pour everything- brake fluid, old engine oil, antifreeze etc into the waste oil container.

Easy!

[bjm38]

At the risk of hijacking the thread slightly...

Even buckets of soapy water used for washing cars should be emptied into the kitchen gulley rather than the gulley at the side of the road. Many highway drains, particularly on housing estates built after the 60s, discharge directly into local watercourses rather than the public sewer network.

As far as the OP goes, chemicals discharged into drains may have an adverse effect on the biological treatment processes at sewage works, not just aquatic life in rivers. While I don't imagine rinsing your Nitromors-ed brush in the kitchen sink is going to have a measurable effect, it's not unknown for the bugs that eat the cr*p to get knocked out in our works by big spills. Be especially careful if you use / discharge into a septic tank.

Bernard
(United Utilities wastewater network technician for my sins)

[les]

Might be worth giving bp a call, they got rid of a load a while ago.

[dalebrignall]

my used engine oil is painted on to the post and rail fenceing to stop it rotting .