ECAR
Fact Sheet for Virginia
Antifreeze
Regulations
Self-Audit Checklist
Best Management Practices
Contacts
Related ECAR Fact Sheets
Other Relevant Resources
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The
following fact sheet was prepared by the ECAR Center staff. Once
prepared, each ECAR Center fact sheet undergoes a review process
with the applicable state environmental agency(ies). You can check
on the status of the review process here.
Please read the disclaimer on the status page. While we have tried
to present a summary of the essential information on this topic,
you should be aware that other items, such as local regulations,
may apply to you.
What You Need to Know
Used
antifreeze, through contact with a car's cooling system, may contain
traces of fuel, oil and metal particles (including lead), making
it a possible hazardous
waste. If not properly managed
and stored, these pollutants can seep into soil and groundwater
harming people and the environment.
But in order to encourage recycling,
the State of Virginia will give you a break and exempt you from
the burden of handling it according to the usual hazardous waste
rules if you manage it properly. This fact sheet will tell
you:
- How to handle antifreeze to qualify
for the exemption.
- What you need to do if you do
not qualify in order to manage antifreeze in compliance with hazardous
waste rules.
Regulations
Waste Classification.
Antifreeze is made up using some regulated chemicals including ethylene
glycol and propylene glycol. During use, antifreeze can become contaminated
with traces of fuel or metal particles. Used antifreeze should never
be disposed of down storm drains or surface waters. It is illegal
and dangerous to discharge antifreeze to septic tanks, dry wells
or to the outdoors. It is recommended that used antifreeze be collected
for recycling/reclamation. However, some localities permit discharge
of small amounts through the municipal wastewater treatment system
(you must check with your local water treatment authorities).
Due to its composition, used antifreeze
can be considered a hazardous waste. However, if used antifreeze
is recycled, it doesn't need to be treated as hazardous waste. It
may be recycled by reuse, distillation, filtration, or ion exchange.
Recycling can be done on-site or off-site by an antifreeze recycling
service (see link under Other Related Resources below).
Used antifreeze that is not recycled
and therefore, disposed of, must be handled in one of two ways:
- Have a sample of the used antifreeze
analyzed by a laboratory to find out if it is hazardous. If it
is non-hazardous, it can be shipped off-site for disposal by a
licensed hauler or discharged to a municipal wastewater treatment
system. You must check with your local water treatment authorities
and a permit may be required). If it is hazardous, then special
hazardous waste rules apply.
- Assume that the antifreeze is
hazardous and manage it as such. This approach avoids laboratory
testing costs.
See the ECAR Hazardous
Waste fact sheet for details
about storing, handling, and shipping of hazardous wastes.
Storage and Labeling. Store
antifreeze in closed containers on an impermeable concrete surface
with spill controls. Consider keeping antifreeze in two separate,
closed containers: one for antifreeze that cannot be reused marked
"Waste Antifreeze Only," and one marked "Usable Antifreeze
Only."
Spills. Clean up all spills
right away. Keep spill control equipment in a central location,
accessible to all employees. All chemical spills that occur within
the State of Virginia must be reported to the Virginia Department
of Environmental Quality (DEQ). During business hours, contact your
nearest DEQ
Regional Office. During nights,
holidays or weekends, contact DEQ's 24-hour emergency line at 1-800-468-8892.
Filter Management. Waste antifreeze
filters and particulate generated from recycling antifreeze also
must be managed as hazardous waste or proven that they are non-hazardous
through laboratory analysis. See the ECAR Hazardous
Waste fact sheet for additional
information.
Record Keeping. Keep all receipts
of used antifreeze shipments and filter management. The written
receipts or records must include:
- Name and address of the generator
and the recycling facility for off-site shipments.
- The amount of used antifreeze
shipped or recycled on-site.
- The amount of waste antifreeze
filters shipped off-site.
- Date of shipment or recycling.
Links to the Regulations. Use
the following links to view the regulations pertaining to used antifreeze
management.
Virginia
Hazardous Waste Management Requirements
Federal
EPA Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste
Self-Audit
Checklist
When an inspector comes to your facility,
there are certain things he or she checks to see if you are in compliance
with environmental regulations. It makes good sense for you to perform
a "self-audit" and catch and correct problems before they result
in penalties. Also, there are some compliance incentives associated
with self-audits (see Audit
Policy Page).
Use the following list to audit your
antifreeze storage areas and management procedures.
- Is used antifreeze stored in
drums, tanks or other containers that are in good condition? Open
containers, and rusting or leaking containers cannot be used for
antifreeze storage.
- Are antifreeze storage containers
and tanks properly labeled? All waste antifreeze should be
labeled "Waste Antifreeze Only," and antifreeze that
can be recycled or reused, should be marked "Usable Antifreeze
Only."
- Is the area around the used
antifreeze storage containers free of releases? Releases must
be stopped; the released material cleaned up and managed properly
and reported to the Department of Ecology.
- Is used antifreeze transported
to a recovery facility by a certified transporter? Check your
records and verify that all shipments of used antifreeze were
removed from your property by a state certified transporter.
- Is oil, solvent or other materials
mixed with used antifreeze? Verify that there are separate,
clearly labeled containers for each type of material, and that
used antifreeze is not mixed with used oil, solvents and other
materials.
Best
Management Practices (BMPs)
Most regulations tell you what you
have to do to be in compliance, but they don’t explain how to do
it. That’s where "best management practices" come into play.
BMPs are proven methods that help you to get into compliance and
stay there. The following BMPs are recommended for used antifreeze
storage areas and management procedures.
- Use separate equipment for the
collection of used antifreeze (funnels, pads, storage containers).
- Drain antifreeze from radiators
and heater cores as soon as possible.
- Keep waste antifreeze free from
cross-contamination with other wastes, including used oil, fuels,
degreasers or radiator flush chemicals.
- Determine if the antifreeze is
waste fluid or reusable and can be recycled.
- Recycle by reuse, distillation,
filtration or ion exchange. Recycling can be done on-site or off-site
by an antifreeze recycling service.
- Consider keeping antifreeze in
two separate, closed containers: one for antifreeze that cannot
be reused marked "Waste Antifreeze," and one marked "Usable Antifreeze."
- Do not dispose of antifreeze down
storm drains, in septic tanks, dry wells or on bare ground.
- Keep any records relating to used
antifreeze for at least 3 years. This includes receipts for used
antifreeze shipments and any laboratory results.
Contacts
- For more information, contact
the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Division of Waste
Management at 804-698-4000.
- To report a spill or leak during
business hours, contact the nearest DEQ
Regional Office. During
nights, holidays and weekends, call the 24-hour number at 1-800-468-8892.
- To report an environmental incident
or complaint, contact the nearest DEQ
Regional Office.
Related
ECAR Fact Sheets
- Hazardous
Wastes
Other
Related Resources
- List
of Virginia Antifreeze Recyclers
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