Dewinterizing protocols

[Olive2Roam]

We are getting ready to head west from the Nashville area in a week or so and so I will be dewinterizing the Ollie for the first time. My question is around managing the fluids as I do so primarily for safety of the neighborhood dogs. (Don’t own one but many in the neighborhood.)

RV antifreeze is not supposed to be toxic but I don’t want to take any chances. How/where do you dispose of the fluids resulting from the dewinterizing process?

This is the product I used to winterize. 

[topgun2]

Olive - 

Check the ingredient list on the anti-freeze you used.  It should not include ethylene glycol - mine doesn't.  Therefore mine isn't toxic to dogs and I'd suspect that yours isn't either.

Bill

 

 

 

 

How does ethylene glycol affect dogs?

• Even small amounts of ethylene glycol can cause permanent kidney damage in dogs. 
   
• Less than ½ a teaspoon per pound of body weight can be enough to kill a dog. 
   
• Dogs can get into antifreeze by drinking from puddles or licking it off their paws. 
•  

[Olive2Roam]

7 minutes ago, topgun2 said:

Olive - 

Check the ingredient list on the anti-freeze you used.  It should not include ethylene glycol - mine doesn't.  Therefore mine isn't toxic to dogs and I'd suspect that yours isn't either.

Bill

 

Thanks Bill. Ethylene glycol, no. Propylene glycol, yes. Should be harmless or at least not critically toxic like auto antifreeze. How do you dispose of the waste water when dewinterizing? Drain out onto the ground?

 

 

[topgun2]

1 hour ago, Olive2Roam said:

How do you dispose of the waste water when dewinterizing? Drain out onto the ground?

Short answer - yes, onto the ground.

Longer answer - We live in a very wooded area and our general drainage from the roof and driveway is basically collected into two large catch basins which have their outlets well away from the house down in the woods.  We have structured the outlets in such a way as to disperse this water over a fairly wide area so as to not cause erosion and/or drainage into a small nearby creek.  With the water I used in flushing the fresh water and grey tank in the Spring, any anti-freeze is well diluted by the time it gets to these outlets.  Of course, any flushing of the black tank goes directly into the waste water system of the house while the "main dump" of the black tank occurs prior to bringing the trailer home.

Bill

[Rivernerd]

Propylene glycol is used in many products sold for use by humans.  One example is hair conditioner.  It is not toxic to humans or animals.  It is biodegradable.  But, it can contaminate groundwater in sufficient quantity, or damage the essential microorganisms in a septic system.  So, the environmentally safe practice is to recycle it.

[topgun2]

1 minute ago, Rivernerd said:

So, the environmentally safe practice is to recycle it.

Absolutely agree - if you can find a place to recycle it.  Around here THAT seems to be a problem.😪

[Olive2Roam]

1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

Short answer - yes, onto the ground.

Longer answer - We live in a very wooded area and our general drainage from the roof and driveway is basically collected into two large catch basins which have their outlets well away from the house down in the woods.  We have structured the outlets in such a way as to disperse this water over a fairly wide area so as to not cause erosion and/or drainage into a small nearby creek.  With the water I used in flushing the fresh water and grey tank in the Spring, any anti-freeze is well diluted by the time it gets to these outlets.  Of course, any flushing of the black tank goes directly into the waste water system of the house while the "main dump" of the black tank occurs prior to bringing the trailer home.

Bill

Thanks, Bill. 

[Olive2Roam]

1 hour ago, Rivernerd said:

Propylene glycol is used in many products sold for use by humans.  One example is hair conditioner.  It is not toxic to humans or animals.  It is biodegradable.  But, it can contaminate groundwater in sufficient quantity, or damage the essential microorganisms in a septic system.  So, the environmentally safe practice is to recycle it.

Good info. I appreciate it. 

[dewdev]

I wonder if your local mechanic/garage would take it?

Our town recycle facility has a 50 gallon barrel for regular antifreeze disposal. 

Edited February 11 by dewdev

[jd1923]

8 hours ago, dewdev said:

Our town recycle facility has a 50 gallon barrel for regular antifreeze disposal.

Exactly! Having lived in 5 different states in many cities and counties, I would say that a locale that does not have a recycling program today is a rare case.

I keep used 5-gal containers in my garage for oils and antifreeze. These must be recycled separately, but it's safe to say that antifreeze is antifreeze wrt recycling.

Brake fluid, spent fuels, oil based paints, solvents, etc. are hazardous waste. Our city schedules one month a year and they actually with application will come to our homes to pick up these wastes. The will be by our home this March! (see link)

I go to drop off oil and antifreeze every couple of months. Sometimes I bring the Oliver with me while doing so to check the tow weight! 🤣

https://prescott-az.gov/trash-and-recycling/residential-collection/

[Steph and Dud B]

The small amount of antifreeze from the fresh water tank and the outside shower goes on the ground outside the garage. The rest ends up in the black and grey tanks and we dump it at the first campground with hookups. Hadn't really thought about collecting it for recycling.