Waste Management Hierarchy:

1. Reduce
2. Reuse / Recycle
3. Treat
4. Dispose

The Facts About Antifreeze
Commercially available antifreeze usually contains either ethylene glycol or propylene glycol. These chemicals lower the freezing point and raise the boiling point of the water in a vehicle's radiator. During its life in your car, antifreeze may become contaminated with metal particles and grit. Antifreeze breaks down over time and forms acids which corrode your vehicle's cooling system.

Many states and municipalities actively discourage dumping used antifreeze into the drain. Although no laws have yet been passed, this practice is also discouraged in Lancaster County.

Reduce
You can reduce the amount of antifreeze you use by checking the radiator, the reservoir, and all hoses of your vehicle carefully for leaks and repair any you find. If you notice a puddle of greenish liquid under the front end of your vehicle, you may have a leak.

Do not change antifreeze as often as you might think. As long as a chemical analysis or an antifreeze tester reveals that your antifreeze is doing its job, refrain from draining and replacing it.

Avoid overfilling your radiator or reservoir. Most reservoirs are marked to indicate proper levels. Excess antifreeze may run out the overflow hose onto the ground. As your vehicle's motor runs, heated antifreeze expands and may run out the overflow hose

Reuse and Recycle
Your vehicle is the best reuser of antifreeze. Unless the antifreeze has become contaminated or been chemically broken down so that it no longer protects your vehicle, it can be used.

Occasionally, however, you may need to drain the antifreeze from your vehicle and replace it with new. Recycle the antifreeze so that others might reuse it. Recycling preserves valuable resources, protects the environment, and reduces costs.

Carefully drain used antifreeze into a clean container with a lid. Keep the antifreeze free of contaminants such as gasoline, oil, and dirt. Clearly label the container "poison" and "used antifreeze."

Transport it to a local antifreeze recycling facility or have a local pickup service do so for you. If you choose to take used antifreeze to one of the sites listed on the back of this form, please call ahead to determine whether the site still accepts antifreeze, have special instructions for you, or charge a fee for their services.

The prominent recycling methods for used antifreeze are distillation, ion exchange, and filtration. Distillation and ion exchange restore the antifreeze to a high level of purity. Filtration is the lowest cost alternative and can be performed in-house by many automotive repair shops. Since filtration does not purify or concentrate the antifreeze, filtrated antifreeze should not be diluted a second time. Filtration cannot remove contaminants dissolved in the antifreeze. It is the least preferred recycling method.

Because of antifreeze's toxic nature, LLCHD strongly discourages pouring it straight down the drain.

Hazardous Waste Facility
Used antifreeze could be classified as a hazardous waste, in part, because of its toxicity. It may be classified as a 008 (containing lead) or a 018 (containing benzene) type waste. Therefore, some individuals and businesses would rather have a professional hazardous waste facility handle the substance.

If you intend to manage your used antifreeze as a hazardous waste, contact the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) at 471-2186 for further assistance.

Treat
The largest antifreeze treatment facility in Lincoln is the Theresa Street Treatment Plant. The facility begins breaking down antifreeze in the plant's treatment works and discharges the treated antifreeze into Salt Creek. (Antifreeze proured into a drain connected to a storm sewer or a septic tank is not treated at all.)

Discharge to Sanitary Sewer
Discharging diluted spent coolant to a sanitary sewer is allowed in Lincoln. Used antifreeze that is poured into the sanitary sewer goes to the Lincoln Waste Water System (LWWS).

If you discharge your used antifreeze to the sanitary sewer, it should be diluted in a 3:1 water and antifreeze mixture (3 gal. water to 1 gal. antifreeze). No more than 10 gallons of the mixture should be dumped in one day under any conditions.

Dispose
Disposal is not considered an appropriate option for managing used antifreeze. Used antifreeze, like all bulk liquids, has been banned from landfills.

Vehicle Maintenance