I have been pouring my used linseed oil and mineral spirits from oil painting into a gas can, because I heard that we shouldn't send them down the sink. The can is almost full, and I don't know what to do with the contents.
Do I take it to a service station and let them recycle it with the used motor oil? Do I just throw the gas can in the dumpster and buy a new one? Does anyone know of the best way to get of this stuff?
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Kat, Call your town hall and ask.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Bring the can to your state Capitol. They will get rid of it for you.
Honest.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Yeah, you could bring it to city hall too.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
quote:How do I get rid of mineral spirits?
Hire an alchemist exorcist?
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Heh. Bob is getting ready to lap me in post count.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Ooh, Bob, you sneak! I was biting my pun-laden tongue because I thought Kat's dire plight was too serious for such a joke.
Seriously, Kat, the town hall or state capitol will know.
Or, a neighbor? Fellow Texan?
Bob?
Thor?
Posted by Yozhik (Member # 89) on :
Darn it, Bob, *I* wanted to make that joke. Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I'm getting very slow...Icarus had to explain his joke to me. DRAT!
Another variant on Icarus' advice: Take it to the airport as carry-on luggage. They'll certainly get rid of it for you.
<sigh>
I think I'm getting very slow. I wonder if it could be the travel or my world-weariness over the election?
Oh well.
Posted by Coccinelle (Member # 5832) on :
Option 1: You can take it out and burn it. Don't ask where.
Option 2: You can throw it in the dumpster. The environmentalists will have a hissy fit, so unless you like angry green people I don't suggest it.
Option 3: You can pay the city dump to take it and recycle it.
Option 4: Call a local art supply store, most have recycling programs.
[ September 26, 2004, 09:59 PM: Message edited by: Coccinelle ]
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
quote:Option 1: You can take it out and burn it. Don't ask where.
Bonfire? Posted by Coccinelle (Member # 5832) on :
oh yeah!
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
Kat, here's a link to the official answer from the city's web site. chemical disposal Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Woohoo!!! I knew I could find out here. Thank you!
[ September 26, 2004, 10:10 PM: Message edited by: katharina ]
Posted by Coccinelle (Member # 5832) on :
I'll have to let my Dad know that it's a free service now. They used to make you pay to dispose of hazardous chemicals.
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
You're welcome. Posted by DOG (Member # 5428) on :
Since you're in Texas, can't you just bring it to a local industrial site so they can add it directly to the drinking water?
Posted by Coccinelle (Member # 5832) on :
It couldn't hurt the taste!
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I really like the smell of mineral spirits. Like, so much so that I probably shouldn't be allowed to have them.
Posted by HRE (Member # 6263) on :
quote:
quote: Option 1: You can take it out and burn it. Don't ask where.
Bonfire?
Low-grade explosives?
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
O_O
Yeah. I should emphasize that I was joking. Not very effectively, apparently. It's a good thing Bob came in and fixed my joke. Some people just shouldn't be allowed to play with humor; they're likely to hurt themselves. Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Mineral spirits?
Exorcism is the only way to get rid of them.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Most city recycle centers have a toxic/hazardous waste drop-off program. Most cities also have collection days around the city so you don't have to go so far out of your way. If your city has a municipal website, check it for information. Otherwise, call your local recycle center.
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
ore any other physical psychic that rocks your world.
Posted by xnera (Member # 187) on :
Jumping in on this thread...
How do I dispose of used vegetable oil? I like to make homemade french fries, but then I end up with excess vegetable oil that I don't know what to do with. I know not to pour it down the sink, but I'm not really comfortable with just putting it in the trash, either. Or would it be okay in the trash if I put it back in the bottle?
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
Vegetable Oil is very biodegradable.
Start a compost heap.
Posted by ssywak (Member # 807) on :
Some people have modified their car's engines to run off vegetable oil, even (and especially) the used stuff. The biggest drawback appears to be the smell of burnt dog tongue coming from your tailpipe after you've parked following a long drive.
Posted by kwsni (Member # 1831) on :
X, soak it up with paper towel or newspaper, and then you can throw it out.
Ni!
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
When I was a kid, my mother used to filter used vegetable oil through a coffee filter and reuse it for the next frying session. Good thing she typically only deepfried the same couple of things - frozen french fries and onion rings, chicken nuggets, occassionally fish sticks.
I don't deepfry anything so I don't have any other, more modern (?) suggestions.
Goody
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
I pour used oil in a can or jar and throw it in the trash.
Or, pour it on the cat food. They like it.
Posted by Coccinelle (Member # 5832) on :
quote:
quote: Option 1: You can take it out and burn it. Don't ask where.
Bonfire?
I was at a bonfire tonight and wondered if anyone would have noticed me slipping some mineral spirit remains in it. Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
"How do I dispose of used vegetable oil?"
Like DanRaven said, vegetable oil is easily biodegradable, so throwing it away with your garbage ain't gonna do any harm.
Ain't gonna do much harm if you flush it down the sink or toilet either, unless you are frying meats. The fats from the meat will resolidify and clog the drain. Then again, municipal sewage systems have a harder time treating vegetable&animal oils&fats than other components, so tossing used cooking oil in the garbage is probably the best, unless you compost.
Do not flush mineral oil, petroleum distillates, radiator fluid, latex/oil-based paints, etc into house drains or into storm drains. The stuff poisons the algae/bacteria/etc used to clean the water at pre-release sewage treatment plants, and contaminates/poisons the waterways into which the cleaned water is eventually dumped. And it won't do much for your drainlines either. You can end up with a smell coming up from sinks&toilets that lingers in your house for a long time.
I am talking strictly of vegetable and animal fats below. Do not use motor oil, gasoline, other petroleum distillates, turpentine, mineral spirits, alcohol, etc. Explosions and poisoning can occur if you do.
If you have a fireplace, you can soak used vegetable oil and animal fats into newspapers to make firestarters. Heck, you can also pour a small amount onto the logs before the fire is lit. But only a small amount: oil/grease has a low vaporization temperature. Too much and most of the oil/grease vaporises, with a significan portion recondensing in the flue/chimney. The build-up of oil/grease condensate on the chimney/flue walls can later catch on fire, which is extremely dangerous.
Oil/grease-soaked briquets and newspapers are also much less unpleasantly stinky than charcoal starter fluid for the barbeque. Only a small fraction of the briquets should be soaked beforehand, and only a small amount of oil/grease should be dribbled onto the briquets as replacement starter fluid. Otherwise, the briquets will flame-up for longer than you want. Again, before the fire is lit. Throwing oil onto a fire presents too much of a risk of causing an explosion. And of fire following the fluid stream back up into the container, risking an explosion of burning oil/grease.
If you feed birds, you may want to soak&drain the seeds with used vegetable oil. Don't know how they'll react to it, but I do know birds love suet feeders and love getting some suet/lard/grease mixed in with their seed.
[ September 28, 2004, 01:44 AM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Vegetable oil that has been used only for french fries or another non-meat/fish frying task can be saved in a clean jar, cooled, and immediately strained through cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a very, very fine sieve, and re-used for frying only. Yes, I'm cheap. It keeps my family eating, though.
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