Bicycle Mechanics - Where does one dispose of solvent

After a good cleaning, where would be a good place to put that gasoline, Simple Green, kerosene, etc? What does everyone else do? I'm about to clean for the first time in many years and I'm afraid that where I USED to put that nasty stuff and where I really SHOULD put it are two different places.

--Chris

Store it is some sort of leak proof container, preferebly one that will not corrode. Keep it in you garage, not your house or apt. until you can find where to dispose of it properly. If you do not fill the container up keep it until it is filled up, just store it in a safe place.

Does you community have a place to take hazardous waste to to be properly disposed of? Or does it have a day once or twice a year for either hazardous waste drop off or pick up?

But what ever you do, DO NOT DUMP THE STUFF down a drain or into a strom sewer, etc.

Oh and more vbery important thing: DO NOT STORE IT IN SUN LIGHT, or EXTREME HEAT!!! If you store it in your garage make sure it has some sort of air flow throug it, like a vent or open window.

Good luck.

The only safe way to dispose of gasoline or kerosene is at a hazardous waste center which your local garbage company should be able to tell you where. simple green is biodegradable, I don't use it but there should be disposal info on the label or a number you can contact them. On a personal note there is absolutely no reason to use harmful chemicals on your bike or its parts. I use an orange based degreaser that is bio degradable and as long as I process it through the sewer system it is totally safe fro the environment (you can drink it if you so chose , but it is pretty gross tasting) you can find several products along this line at most stores. Use it around the house while you are at it cuts down on the toxic fumes you inhale.

David (Hazmat Trained)

David,
So you can REALLY put it down the drain? That saves alot of hassle if I don't need to go to the (not so) local haz mat disposal joint!

Do you use it full strength or diluted?

--Chris

only the orange degreaser do I dispose of down the drain, I do not know about simple green. I do use a diluted about a 4 oz to a gallon for heavy duty stuff I use a 50/50 solution, I presume simple green is safe in the sewer system but I would check with the manufacture.

This may not make the local Advance Auto happy, but I blend it in with the motor oil that I send to them for reclamation.
When you put used biodegreaser down the drain you also put the crud you washed off the bike down the drain.

Originally posted by N_C
Store it is some sort of leak proof container, preferebly one that will not corrode.
As NC says. But! Don't toss kerosene, mineral spirits, gas, etc. Re-use it! The grunge will sink to the bottom of the container, and the solvent will even turn nearly clear. When you start the next job, pour off what you need, and return it when you're through. A jar will last for years, occasionally adding a little to compensate for evaporation, etc.


Wait a minute. Don't use gas at all. Too flammable, evaporates too fast. Eats some vinyl and plastic. There are better things.

Another thing you can do is mix it with your used automobile engine oil, and since everyone recycles their oil at their local auto-parts shop (ahem!), you'll dump the stuff in the oil tank along with the old oil. It's all the same mineral/synthetic stuff, so they'll refine the stuff again. No danger of contamination.

A note about simple green and other bio-degradable solvents. While you can safely pour the stuff down the drain and not harm the enviroment with it, etc.

It is the grease and lubes you clean off of your bike that can be harmful. The simple green, etc does not render it non-harmful. Its just better to use because it is not caustic to the person using it.

That is why even if you use simple green or other bio-degradable cleaners you still want to dispose of them properly and not down a drain, storm sewer, on the ground, etc.

lmao blending it with the oil thats too funny cheers, Why are you using gas and whatnot? I tell ya im soo finnished with harmfull cleaners and bike degreasers i will give you my recipie, go to the grocery store and ask the produce guy if they have any bad lemmons (they will give them to you free somtimes) if not buy 5-10 lemmons, mix 2 cups of dawn dish washing liquid (the heavy duty suff) and the juice from the lemmons voila the best degreaser on the planet and its safe for the enviroment, i think the best part is you can get scented dish soap and when you clean your bike (i clean mine in the kitchen) it sure does smell purty give it a go! man im sure you will be shocked at how well it works

Wasn't trying to be funny ... since the leftover solvent you use is pretty dirty, the way I understand the problem is that they've got a whole gallon of solvent sitting around. Just mix that stuff with used motor oil and recycle it. What's so funny about that?

Must be a Canadian thing, eh? :p

I guess what I'll probably do is check out one of the biodegradable cleaners, collect it in a 5 gal. bucket until full and then take it to the Hazardous Materials disposal site. Sounds like this gives me the best of most worlds: less harmful substance, safer to store, easier to buy in small quantities etc. And best of all a good clear conscience since I won't be putting the stuff in the place I might have put it once or twice when I was younger.

--Chris

[QUOTE]Originally posted by roadbuzz
[B]As NC says. But! Don't toss kerosene, mineral spirits, gas, etc. Re-use it! The grunge will sink to the bottom of the container, and the solvent will even turn nearly clear. When you start the next job, pour off what you need, and return it when you're through. A jar will last for years, occasionally adding a little to compensate for evaporation, etc.

I use diesel and filter it with a coffee filter and funnel. If you're in an apartment this may not work for you as it does take time to filter.

settle down i just never thought of that.....i just have never even though of using gas and whatnot to clean my bike, what are yall riding through? So i do think that that is better that dumping harsh stuff down the drain but thats probably because i dont sniff gas while i clean things for an hour
must be an american thing!