09
January, 2020
How to Recycle Engine Coolant
Pouring engine coolant down drains or into water is dangerous: coolant comprises heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium and lead, making it hazardous waste. Disposing of coolant irresponsibly can cause severe water quality problems, harming people and animals.
Contact local recycling centres or check their websites to find out whether they recycle engine coolant. If they don’t, they should direct you to your nearest drop-off point. Some garages will also accept old coolant. Recycle your coolant in a well-sealed container that is clearly labelled.
How Do Specialists Recycle Engine Coolant?
Specialists recycle engine coolant using machinery that extracts metals, fuel and/or oil from the coolant. They also add chemicals that prevent the ethylene glycol from breaking down.
Though different methods can be implemented to recycle engine coolant, many specialists use vacuum distillation. This involves drawing engine coolant into a drum using a vacuum. The engine coolant is boiled to extract the water. The water is then heated to an even higher temperature so that it vaporises. Next, specialists introduce ion exchange resins to the antifreeze. These positively charged ions separate contaminants from the antifreeze.
How to Clean Engine Coolant Spills
When draining your reservoir, you may accidentally spill some coolant. Wear protective gloves, long sleeves and a mask to minimise skin exposure and ingestion.
Treat spills immediately by pouring sand or baking powder over the coolant. Cover the sand/baking powder with paper towels to maximise absorption and ensure that the coolant doesn’t spread. Leave the paper towels over the spill, giving the coolant time to absorb.
After one to three hours, use more paper towels to remove the sand/baking powder. You can dispose of these in your regular rubbish bin. Keep this well away from children and pets as antifreeze is toxic.
Cover any remaining stains with laundry/dish detergent. Powdered detergent may be more effective for stains that have already set. Use a nylon brush to scrub the stain and flush the area with water. Leave to air dry if possible – if not, use newspaper and more paper towels. Once finished, wash your hands thoroughly to get rid of any traces of antifreeze.
Refilling Engine Coolant
When refilling your engine coolant, do not recycle the empty bottle. Traces of antifreeze in recycling facilities may cause cross contamination. Also, rinsing the container may lead to antifreeze ending up in waterways. The safest option is to dispose of your antifreeze container in your regular rubbish bin.
Follow these simple steps to refill your engine coolant.
Find antifreeze and pre-mixed engine coolants suited to your vehicle by searching your registration plate in our car lookup tool.
All DIY car service parts are manufactured by trusted, high-quality brands. Here are just a few of the brands that we stock.
About DIY Car Service Parts
Whether you’re changing your own car parts or saving costs by providing them to your local garage, DIY Car Service Parts is the ultimate site for easily identifying the vehicle parts that you need.
DIY Car Service Parts isn’t just about accessing car parts from the best brands at the lowest prices. With over 35 years’ experience in the automotive industry, we are experts in the car parts field. Our specialist team is on hand to answer any of your queries and offer valuable advice so that you can understand more about the ways that your car works and get savvy under the bonnet.
