Disposing of etching solution.

[Scott Campbell]

After you have finished with etching solution, how should you dispose of it?
I haven't got any etchant to dispose of yet, but I would like to know proper
practice... (I wouldn't expect that you just pour it down the drain).

 

[John Popelish]

After you have finished with etching solution, how should you dispose of it?
I haven't got any etchant to dispose of yet, but I would like to know proper
practice... (I wouldn't expect that you just pour it down the drain).

Only if you want to eat holes in your pipes and pollute the waste
treatment facility to the point of killing the microbes they use to
break down bio waste. It is also illegal.

I have disposed of small amounts of ferric chloride etchant by
neutralizing it with baking soda till it quite fizzing. This
precipitates the metals (iron and copper) out as nearly insoluble
carbonates (brown mud) that can be safely (I think) dumped down the
drain with a good water flush.

 

[John Larkin]

After you have finished with etching solution, how should you dispose of it?
I haven't got any etchant to dispose of yet, but I would like to know proper
practice... (I wouldn't expect that you just pour it down the drain).

The directions on jugs of Radio Shack FeCl used to say, basicly, flush
it. I can't see how small amounts of FeCl plus a bit of copper would
do any harm. Run some water so it doesn't etch your plumbing. It will
be parts-per-trillion by the time it gets mixed with everybody else's
stuff. Your neighbors scrubbing their copper-bottom pots will probably
swamp your contribution.

John

 

[KevinR]

After you have finished with etching solution, how should you dispose of it?
I haven't got any etchant to dispose of yet, but I would like to know proper
practice... (I wouldn't expect that you just pour it down the drain).

I supose you could mix it with plaster of paris and when it sets,
stick it in the bin while no one is looking.

 

[JeffM]

I like Popelish's way; if a buddy produces waste alkali--even better.
Otherwise:
In SoCal there are periodic "toxic round-ups".
As long as the stuff is labeled, they'll take it.
(I guess they figure *better than you dumping it yourself*
--and easier on water consumption than Larkin's way.)

Contact your waste district (or whatever). Maybe they do the same.

 

[John Larkin]

I like Popelish's way; if a buddy produces waste alkali--even better.
Otherwise:
In SoCal there are periodic "toxic round-ups".
As long as the stuff is labeled, they'll take it.
(I guess they figure *better than you dumping it yourself*
--and easier on water consumption than Larkin's way.)

Contact your waste district (or whatever). Maybe they do the same.

Here in SF, individuals can take toxics to the dump on Tunnel Road. So
I'd waste an hour and a gallon of gas to save one flush, a couple of
gallons of water maybe. If you arrange to pee at the same time, no
water is wasted.

Do people in SoCal bother about saving water? I thought they just
filled their pools and watered their lawns with ours!

John

 

[cornytheclown]

I supose you could mix it with plaster of paris and when it sets,
stick it in the bin while no one is looking.

neat idea... you could also place in a shallow pan and if this pan
could be put somewhere where small children or animals could not get
to it...the liquid will evaporate and all you will have is a small
amount of solid material to dispose of..........

anyhow...

nearly any town in america with say a population of 10,000 or more
people should have a means of disposing of the stuff. Call city hall
and ask if they have a place where people can bring old medicines,
household cleaners etc... to have them properly disposed. Get an MSDS
data sheet ...surely there is one on the net or radio shack should be
able to provide you with one and take it with you when you dispose of
the stuff.

Our town has week every year where you can bring all your old
chemicals to the dump and they will dispose of them for you, no
charge.

 

[JeffM]

pee at the same time

John Larkin

Good idea.

Do people in SoCal bother about saving water? I thought they just
filled their pools and watered their lawns with ours!
John

Yeah. It's amazing how water is wasted in the middle of this desert.

I'm told that before I got to California there was a time
when you had to ask for a glass of water in a restaurant
(not just the beverage was wasted, but the wash water as well).
If we don't get more rainfall and snowpack, we may be back there soon.

 

[John Larkin]

Good idea.


Yeah. It's amazing how water is wasted in the middle of this desert.

I'm told that before I got to California there was a time
when you had to ask for a glass of water in a restaurant
(not just the beverage was wasted, but the wash water as well).

Up here, you still do.

We had a drought (can't remember exactly, early 90's maybe) and
everybody in SF was rationed to 50 gal/day per person, and watering
lawns was technically illegal. Flushing became politically incorrect.
Meanwhile, we were reading news reports of people in SoCal filling
their pools and using 15,000 gallons per day on their lawns.

If we don't get more rainfall and snowpack, we may be back there soon.

It's inevitable.

John