posted 05-11-2006 03:14 PM                       

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This request was posed in order in the context of a spent antifreeze recycling program, wherein
spent antifreeze generated from radiator flushes done at automobile service centers (specifically,
Valvoline Instant Oil Change stores) is collected, stored and sent for recycling at Union Carbide’s
Glycol Recovery Unit in Institute, West Virginia. The specific questions you raised relate to the
practical difficulties of generating and characterizing spent antifreeze, where one radiator flush may be
hazardous and the next flush nonhazardous...

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Disposing of antifreeze is also a problem. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which is poisonous to fish, wildlife and people. Many cats and dogs have died after drinking the sweet tasting puddles of antifreeze left on driveways. Do not dispose of antifreeze down storm drains, instead ask you local service station to add the liquid to their used anti-freeze storage drum. If your household is connected to a central sewer system, call your wastewater utility for specific guidance in disposing of anti-freeze.

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A Wonderful, But Hazardous, Product

Antifreeze is hazardous. Ethylene glycol is a toxic chemical that requires proper handling, storage and disposal to avoid harming humans, animals and the environment. One of the properties of ethylene glycol is that it is a sweet-tasting liquid which makes it attractive to animals and small children. Unfortunately, it is very poisonous and each year thousands of dogs, cats and other animals die from lapping up pools of antifreeze that have accumulated on streets and in parking areas. There have been many cases of human poisonings and deaths over the years, predominantly among small children. The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention provides a considerable amount of useful information about poisonings and poisoning prevention on its website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/poisoning.htm .

As a broad generalization, orange colored antifreeze is an indication that the antifreeze is manufactured for more extended uses, and has a longer service life than does green antifreeze. However, under no circumstances should green and orange antifreezes be mixed together because the enhanced properties of the orange antifreeze will be diminished.

Used antifreeze may also contain levels of dissolved heavy metals that can be toxic to animal life and may contaminate soils, water and sediments. If ethylene glycol biodegrades in large quantities, it can deplete the levels of dissolved oxygen in surface waters, killing aquatic organisms. Antifreeze picks up many contaminants from engine operation in addition to some heavy metals. It will also pick up toxins such as benzene. That is why antifreeze must be tested to determine whether or not it falls under the classification as being a hazardous waste.

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posted 10-13-2007 06:54 PM                    

quote: Jeffry Wilde

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I have never had a problem with one.

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