Automotive Fluids

Automotive fluids help keep your vehicle running strong, but they also require careful handling — especially when it comes to disposal. At PEAK, it's important to us that our customers know how to dispose of antifreeze and other automotive fluids correctly so we can work together to protect the health and safety of our natural environments.

In this post, we'll cover safe and environmentally responsible ways to dispose of:

• Antifreeze and coolant
• Diesel exhaust fluid (DEF)
• Windshield wash and other fluids

Safe and responsible antifreeze and coolant disposal

Antifreeze and coolant aren't technically the same thing. The term "coolant" specifically refers to a blended combination of antifreeze and water, usually in a 50/50 mix. However, for the purposes of safe disposal, you can treat the two substances as functionally identical. All of the safe disposal methods specified below apply to both antifreeze and coolant.

Casey Kostrzewski, OWI's EHS and Regulatory Director, stresses the first and most important rule of safe antifreeze disposal: "Never dispose of antifreeze in a storm sewer or sanitary sewer, and never pour it down the drain."

Here's why: Storm sewers route rainwater back into natural bodies of water, like rivers, lakes, and oceans. Conventional antifreeze formulations contain toxic chemicals that harm marine life and have the potential to contaminate municipal water supplies.

Similar risks carry over to sanitary sewers and plumbing infrastructure, which carry wastewater to treatment plants. These facilities use engineered techniques to clean wastewater for discharge into local bodies of water, or for reuse by humans. One such technique involves beneficial bacteria, which break down common wastewater contaminants and toxins. Antifreeze can poison these bacteria, killing them.

Instead of pouring antifreeze or coolant down the drain or into a sewer, here's what to do instead:

"Take your antifreeze to a local automotive repair facility for recycling," Casey says. "Some automotive parts stores also collect used antifreeze for recycling. You might also be able to dispose of your antifreeze through municipal hazardous chemical recycling programs if they're available in your area."

One quick, easy way to find a locally available solution is to enable geolocation on your internet-connected device and perform a search for "antifreeze disposal near me." The search results will explain how to dispose of antifreeze safely in your area.

Collecting antifreeze and coolant for safe disposal

Manufacturers typically assign a shelf life of about five years to prediluted 50/50 antifreeze formulations. Many products last for much longer, but if you have old antifreeze or coolant that you want to get rid of, simply keep it in its original container and transport it for disposal.

To collect used fluid from your vehicle for disposal, check your owner's manual for step-by-step instructions. While the exact process differs from vehicle to vehicle, here's an overview of what's typically involved:

• Get a large jug with a wide mouth or a big, deep drain pan for collecting the fluid.
• Locate and open your antifreeze or coolant drain plug.
• Drain the fluid into your receptacle.
• Close the drain plug.
• Use a funnel to carefully transfer the collected fluid into a vessel you can seal.

Wear gloves as you work and try to avoid inhaling the fumes. Antifreeze fumes aren't generally dangerous, but they can cause respiratory tract irritation in some people.

When you're finished, look up local resources for how to dispose of antifreeze or coolant safely in your area and transport your fluid for safe disposal.

Cleaning up accidental antifreeze or coolant spills

Accidents can happen, even if you're careful. Beyond knowing how to dispose of antifreeze and coolant, you should also know what to do if you spill it on the ground or on yourself.

If you spill some antifreeze or coolant on the ground:

• Take prompt action. Otherwise, toxic chemicals may contaminate the affected area for an extended period of time.
• Use a sweeping compound, kitty litter, or sand to mop up the spilled fluid. These products have excellent absorption capabilities and will work much better than rags or paper towels.
• When your absorbent compound has soaked up the spill, shovel it into a receptacle that you can seal.

If you spill some antifreeze or coolant on yourself, wash it off your skin immediately with soap and water. Deep scrubbing will remove lingering traces of the fluid. Then, clean any soiled clothes in your washing machine. A regular wash setting should remove the fluid without issue.

Tips for DEF reuse and disposal

PEAK's KleenDEF and BlueDEF diesel exhaust fluid formulations are both designed for easy, safe handling and disposal. They're nonflammable and made from just two ingredients: 32.5% ultra-pure synthetic urea and 67.5% deionized, purified water.

"Urea is a great source of nitrogen and a major ingredient in lawn fertilizer," says Casey. "When you no longer need your DEF, or when it's past its useful life, you can dilute it with 10 parts water and use it as lawn fertilizer."

However, before you do this, you should check local regulations and municipal ordinances to make sure you won't run afoul of any laws. Some communities have very strict standards regarding lawn and agricultural chemicals, especially if they're adjacent to natural watersheds.

If in doubt, you can also dispose of used DEF at your nearest hazardous waste materials recycling center.

Disposing of other automotive fluids

Vehicles contain many other fluids, all of which have their own safe disposal guidelines:

Windshield wash

"You can dispose of windshield washer fluid through your local hazardous chemical recycling programs," Casey says. Assuming your fluid is in its original container, simply seal the container and transport it to the disposal facility.

Motor oil

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the used oil from a single oil change has the potential to contaminate up to 1 million gallons of fresh water. Always make sure you dispose of it correctly.

Most of the automotive service centers that perform oil changes will take used oil free of charge and recycle or dispose of it according to local environmental guidelines. You can also take it to your local hazardous household waste facility.

Transmission fluid

Whether synthetic or petroleum-based, transmission fluid can also cause contamination. Never bury it or dispose of it in a landfill. Instead, bring it to your hazardous household waste facility for proper disposal.

Brake fluid

As with other automotive fluids, you should never flush brake fluid in a toilet or pour it down a drain or sewer. Also, remember that you cannot mix used and new brake fluid. Instead, take used brake fluid to a recycling center for hazardous materials. Some service centers and automotive retailers also accept used brake fluid for recycling.

If you have unused brake fluid, you can pour it into a kitty litter pan. It will safely evaporate. In the meantime, keep children and pets away.

Power steering fluid

Hazardous household waste treatment centers will also accept used or unused power steering fluid.

Choose specially formulated PEAK products to help protect environmental safety

At PEAK Auto, we're always looking for ways to make our products greener and safer. Our product lines include choices for eco-conscious consumers, like our ECOSHIELD antifreeze. This innovative product substitutes bio-based propylene glycol for conventional petroleum-based chemicals, reducing its toxicity and environmental impact.

To learn more, explore our complete lineup of PEAK products. You can also use our DIY Hub to access free how-to video tutorials for draining antifreeze from your vehicle and many other useful topics, and we're proud to offer helpful tips for eco-friendly driving and car care.