Originally Posted by MudPie
I think a sanitary sewer will handle simple green mixed with bicycle gunk. The majority of the gunk on bicyles is more dirt with a little oil to bind it together. A sanitary sewer is designed to handle these loads. The solids (dirt) will be settled out, and the small amount of oil is probably digested in the process. The Simple Green probably starts breaking down the oil. I'll venture to say a pair of greasy auto mechanic overalls contains more grease/oil than what is on our bikes. Yet, we could wash these overalls and dispose of the oily/greasy drain water into the sanitary sewer system.
Now, I wouldn't dump it into a storm drain that feeds directly into the ocean - that's not good.
Fair enough. But
(1) I don't know about nice, clean, newer suburban places, but here in NYC, I don't really see it as a good thing to put much else other than my own fluids and water down the drain. Not b/c of the environment so much as the thought of all the stress I'm putting on all these old pipes. It may be different in others' neck of the woods. Also, as I understand it, sewage treatment isn't all the uneducated public is educated to think it is. Basically, it's a bunch of chlorine, maybe some bacterial-eating algae and a few other things, enough to render it not-deadly to the world or any potential water source it may eventually be released into. But that doesn't make it good.
(2) I'm still not buying the "Simple Green breaks down the oil" argument. Give me a good chemical explanation for this, then I'll start believing it. The way I see it, the Simple Green breaks up the oil enough to make it water-soluble, but this doesn't mean it breaks it down in a chemical sense as much as a physical one. I don't see the chain as being a horrible source for oil, but I was thinking more of such activities as hub overhauls: the amount of greaseate waste that generates is quite gross, and when mixed with Simple Green, tempting to just dump down any hole. It seems to me the idea of saving the bad gunk and keeping it separated, then eventually disposing of it properly at a gas station or toxic cleanup site is just a bit better.
I had all this explained to me by a chemist on this board who I asked about it. He told me he uses mineral spirits and keeps his wastes separated, burns off any excess. Yes, now you're talking bad for the air, but that still seems a bit more benign.
Mox, sorry, didn't mean to be so snippy; but hey, aren't you a science grad?
Ultimately, I find all this stuff a tad depressing. On a most abstract and philosophical (i.e. non-useful) level, oil's just nasty, IMHO.
Rant over.