Hexavalent Chromium Disposal

[Motorman]

Was cleaning out the shop and found a gallon of my old chrome plating solution. I've been all over the internet and haven't found how to properly dispose of this stuff. Anyone have a suggestion.

Thanks,
MM

[Clint Ormosen]

Weed killer?

[RC Storick]

That is some wicked stuff. Call county recycling. Maybe and I do mean maybe they will take it.

http://www.saif.com/_files/SafetyHealthGuides/SS-835.pdf

[Dick Pacini]

Call a local plating shop and ask if they will take it, for a fee if necessary.

[ChrisSarnowski]

Couldn't you chrome up some cylinders with it? Just a thought. Maybe the depleted solution still would be too nasty.

[Motorman]

Weed killer?

I'll be right over.


MM

[Clint Ormosen]

I'll be right over.

MM

Cool. I've got bit of a stray cat problem, too. This ought to take care of both issues.

[Tim Wescott]

Call a local plating shop and ask if they will take it, for a fee if necessary.

How much trouble that'll get you into varies a lot from state to state, and of course by whether you get caught.  I'm pretty sure it's illegal no matter where you are (and hexavalent chromium is way nasty stuff, so you won't get a pass based on it being not that bad).

In Oregon, at least, the state provides no-questions-asked hazardous waste disposal for homeowners.  As long as it doesn't look like you're running a business involving the chemicals, they want to take it off your hands rather than have you dump it down a drain pipe.

[Motorman]

I even called Caswell plating and they didn't have an answer. They said they use to have a product that would balance the ph and make it safe, wrong. Called a few plating shops and they won't touch it and were very cagey about what they do with theirs. I'm thinking scheduled 40 pipe with two end caps then mail it to Baghdad. I guess I'll just keep it and keep using it then take it to the grave so I can chrome the devils horns. 

MM

[Bill Morell]

Use it to plate Bill Little Orwick parts for him.

[Bill Little]

Use it to plate Bill Little Orwick parts for him.

Hi Bill,

I'll second that, third it, etc..

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

[Dick Pacini]

How much trouble that'll get you into varies a lot from state to state, and of course by whether you get caught.  I'm pretty sure it's illegal no matter where you are (and hexavalent chromium is way nasty stuff, so you won't get a pass based on it being not that bad).

I wasn't suggesting anything cagey.  My thoughts were if plating companies still use that product, they may want it.  If they don't use it but have a legitimate disposal service, they may take it for a fee.  I don't see how either scenario would ruffle the state's feathers.

[Mike Keville]

Isn't that the stuff that contaminated the groundwater at Hinkley, CA several years ago, resulting in numerous cancers and other illnesses and ultimately a multi-million $ lawsuit against a major CA corporation?  (Think "Erin Brockovich").

[Tim Wescott]

I wasn't suggesting anything cagey.  My thoughts were if plating companies still use that product, they may want it.  If they don't use it but have a legitimate disposal service, they may take it for a fee.  I don't see how either scenario would ruffle the state's feathers.

In Oregon at one time (and possibly still -- thankfully I haven't had to worry about that since my early 20's) that would have been unlicensed disposal of hazardous waste -- you had to have a license to accept any hazardous waste for disposal, which came with all sorts of hoops you had to jump through, and it all went well beyond what you needed to do to legally use hazardous material (and, hence, generate hazardous waste).  The intent was to keep unscrupulous people from setting up as hazardous waste disposal companies and just dumping the stuff into a creek somewhere.

Since the people enforcing the rules were all bureaucrats, and environmental do-gooders fresh out of college to boot, that meant that if you did accept hazardous waste you were still treated like you ate little babies for breakfast even if you were scrupulously proper in how you disposed of it.

[Mike Keville]

See my question in Reply #12 above!

[Dick Pacini]

When I read the original post, I didn't get the impression it was waste, but rather an unopened container of the product, which could be used.

I am well aware of the "cradle to grave" process when dealing with industrial products.  I owned a small manufacturing company for 22 years and a large part of our overhead was disposal of regulated waste.  Every six weeks when the Safety-Kleen truck pulled in, you could hear my checkbook scream.

I was very careful what I allowed in the door.  Even household products are treated differently.  Use Simple Green at home and dispose of the dirty solution down the drain.  Use it in a manufacturing environment and it needs to be drummed up for "proper" disposal.  It used to cost $185/drum for our waste which included dirty coolant, tramp oils, absorbent pads and Speedy-Dry.

I am glad to be out of it.

[Douglas Ames]

The current primer in use at the Airline I work for has that in the mix. Toxic sh*t!! Handle it accordingly.
Tulsa, OK has an amnesty day to get rid of such stuff... Might check with your local authorities.

[Mike Keville]

Once again:  Google Erin Brockovich.

[Motorman]

Found this blurb while searching.

"For nearly a century, Honeywell and PPG disposed of more than ONE MILLION TONS of hexavalent chromium waste at over one hundred sites across Jersey City".

Next time you're worried about your carbon foot print think about that and you might not feel so bad.

[Arlan McKee]

If you can't find someone to take it for disposal I can tell you how to convert it from hexavalent to trivalent chromium and finally to chromium hydroxide, neither of which are carcinogenic.

[Motorman]

If you can't find someone to take it for disposal I can tell you how to convert it from hexavalent to trivalent chromium and finally to chromium hydroxide, neither of which are carcinogenic.

I think I'm there so, go ahead and tell me.

[Arlan McKee]

I sent you an email.