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 Replies: 14 / Views: 1,900 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
790 Posts |
Is there a preferred way to dispose of used/dirty acetone? In the past when I gave coins a bath, I was only doing a few coins at a time and only used a few tablespoons of acetone. Whatever was left when I got done I just let it evaporate out on the porch. This time, though, I'm giving all my grandpa's coins a bath before transferring them from old, cracked coin tubes, pill bottles and bandaid tins into new tubes. As a result I have a 20 oz jar of dirty, used acetone.
What should I do with it?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Pour it on your driveway and it will be gone in minutes with no residual effects.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
790 Posts |
I considered it but thought I'd check first to make sure it's not a biohazard or something. Thanks!
Edited by twslisa
08/15/2021 11:40 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5661 Posts |
Agree, just let it evaporate.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3540 Posts |
Use in the seams/cracks of driveway/sidewalks. :)
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
I have poured used solvents down funnel-web spider holes.
Tends to slow them down a bit.
Just as well. Funned-webs are the arguably the most dangerous spider on the Planet.
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Moderator
 Australia
16808 Posts |
"Letting it evaporate" is probably the safest and cleanest way of getting rid of it, assuming you can do so safely without it accidentally catching fire. And don't pour it out on asphalt, plastic-coated pavers, or anything else that'll dissolve in acetone, or you'll just make a giant sticky mess that will turn ugly and stay ugly.
Acetone is a mild environmental toxin, but atmospheric releases are not regarded as serious because once it's in the air, it stays in the air and doesn't tend to rain back down again in precipitation. Atmospheric acetone breaks down in sunlight after just a few weeks (observed half-life: 22 days), so it doesn't accumulate in the atmosphere; it breaks down into methane and ethane, which in turn eventually turns into carbon dioxide. So, greenhouse gas emissions, but not other chronic pollutants.
Pouring it down the drain, on the other hand, is likely to damage your house's sewerage system unless you greatly dilute it (if you have PVC or other plastic pipes, as many modern homes do these days). It might also wreak havoc once it gets into your local sewerage treatment system.
20 fl.ounces (that's over half a litre, for us metric people) is probably at the low end of a volume of concern; it shouldn't do too much damage, whatever you do with it. Unless, of course, you set it on fire.
The other consideration, of course, is that it ain't pure acetone anymore. After washing that many coins stored in plastic tubes, it's likely got plastic goo and whatever else dissolved in it. Whatever you dry it out on or in, it might leave a sticky residue behind on.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Quote:
I have poured used solvents down funnel-web spider holes. Tends to slow them down a bit. Just as well. Funned-webs are the arguably the most dangerous spider on the Planet. A win-win. You get rid of used acetone and gut punch a nasty beast.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7933 Posts |
As with most other organic solvents, yes it is considered hazardous waste, and no, it is not the best solution to just allow it to escape into the atmosphere, where it contributes to smog and greenhouse gases. Here is a resource you can use for the proper was to dispose of a sizeable quantity of acetone like this: https://www.denvergov.org/Governmen...ardous-WasteEdited by tdziemia
08/16/2021 2:30 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Just don't try putting it on a charcoal bab-b-que grill when it is on fire.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4680 Posts |
Quote:
Just don't try putting it on a charcoal bab-b-que grill when it is on fire. Speaking from experience Carl?  |
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Valued Member
United States
318 Posts |
I pour onto my driveway and light on fire or use it to start my outdoor fire pit. You can't see the flame. Super clean burning. Reminds me of burner fuel for camping stoves where it is a spectacular clean burn. You can't see the flame but can feel the heat but can usually hear it go wooooooF as it lights up. I prefer to burn it to reduce vapors going into atmosphere. From experience... don't put your hand over the wet spot in driveway to see if it is burning.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12477 Posts |
I just let it evaporate outside and then wash the container with soap and water to clean the leftover residue. Having that much, it will evaporate faster if you split it into multiple containers, or put it in a large shallow container to increase the surface area exposed to air.
In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
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Pillar of the Community
United States
790 Posts |
Thanks, guys. I didn't see later posts until after I followed a form of the "let it evaporate" idea. My handyman said pour it out on a rag over the landscaping rocks. That way it evaporates out of the rag, but the gunk that is dissolved in it hopefully gets absorbed without going into the ground. The rag can be discarded. He thinks it might etch the concrete of the driveway, by the way.
My city's hazardous waste/electronics recycling costs $20. If I have other stuff to take there it's probably a deal, but for a buck's worth of acetone it's kind of spendy.
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Quote:
That way it evaporates out of the rag, but the gunk that is dissolved in it hopefully gets absorbed without going into the ground. Not a bad idea. |
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Replies: 14 / Views: 1,900 |
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Posted 08/15/2021 11:40 pm
