Question about discarding cleaners/chemicals.

[DarkFox]

Noob/uneducated question.

If I dilute a cleaning solution to a neutral pH (verifying by pH testing strips) is it then fine to discard in a sewer drain? Trying to figure out a few things before I start a project and have chemicals just sitting, with no way to get rid of them quickly. Thanks.

 

[SGKent]

when in doubt HHW

 

[rlitman]

Exactly what chemicals are we talking about here?

 

[sweetk30]

lots of local gov has programs for free chemical and hazard products like old batterys from aaa - d cell / electronics / florescent bulbs / on and on . call or search the web for your next closest date after the lockdown .

 

[rlitman]

lots of local gov has programs for free chemical and hazard products like old batterys from aaa - d cell / electronics / florescent bulbs / on and on . call or search the web for your next closest date after the lockdown .

That's the comment about HHW. Every town in my state (and in most states) will have a Hazardous Household Waste plan. Here, they have about 10 dates a year where at several parks around the town they accept all sorts of hazardous waste (one park per date). Other towns may have a dropoff location.

As for 4' fluorescent tubes, the amount of mercury in the "new" ones with green ends is low enough that they're rated to just go in the trash. What I'll do is outside I'll put a bag in a pail, and put a plastic bottle in the bottom of the bag. I'll stand up the 4' tube in the bottle, reach in, and score the tube with a diamond pencil. Then I push down and twist, and the tube disintegrates into the bottle like a cracked egg would. Just last week I discarded five bulbs into a tennis ball tube. No smashing with glass all over this way.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Sounds like a cool trick on the fluorescent tubes. I'm stealing it, proving once again that Rlitman is more than just a talented woodworker Thanks.
Rick

 

[rlitman]

Sounds like a cool trick on the fluorescent tubes. I'm stealing it, proving once again that Rlitman is more than just a talented woodworker Thanks.
Rick

Just wear safety glasses. Sometimes it doesn't break in ways you'd expect.

 

[Shiftless]

Back to the original question...
Just because it is pH neutral doesn’t mean it is safe.
Take your toxic waste to the HHW drop off place.

 

[DarkFox]

Thanks for all the info. I'll look for my local HHW dates and drop offs.

 

[58Yeoman]

I made a f-tube destroyer similar to one we had a work years ago. I had an old shop vac, mounted a small fan motor on top with the shaft going down into the vac. Small chain attached to the motor shaft. A couple feet of pvc pipe (1 1/2"?) mounted on top. I connect my shop vac to the old one with the hose and turn it on, plus the fan motor. It ***** the tube into the pvc pipe and the chain chops it up. No explosions.

 

[rlitman]

I made a f-tube destroyer similar to one we had a work years ago. I had an old shop vac, mounted a small fan motor on top with the shaft going down into the vac. Small chain attached to the motor shaft. A couple feet of pvc pipe (1 1/2"?) mounted on top. I connect my shop vac to the old one with the hose and turn it on, plus the fan motor. It ***** the tube into the pvc pipe and the chain chops it up. No explosions.

Interesting concept. Just run that outside because of the mercury.
For me, I destroy maybe half a dozen tubes at a time, no more than a couple of times a decade. But if I had a lot...