How to safely dispose of wet tumbling liquid

[fireman1776]

Does anyone have a process that makes the leftover lead filled liquid that remains after tumbling safe to dispose of either down the drain or in the ground? 
 

 

 

[RevolverJockey]

You can run it through a coffee filter and keep reusing the liquid then take it to most household chemical recycling centers (usually near the waste collection). I make peroxyacetic acid to dissolve the lead out of suppressors and take the liquid there labelled “lead contaminated acid” and then take it by the gallons and have never questioned it. Been doing it for years and that is lead acetate which can absorb through the skin. The stuff coming out of brass is much less hazardous. Another option would be just to evaporate off the liquid. There really isn’t a laymen’s way of making it ground safe. 
Lee

[Sarge]

3 hours ago, fireman1776 said:

Does anyone have a process that makes the leftover lead filled liquid that remains after tumbling safe to dispose of either down the drain or in the ground? 
 

 

 

I pour it down the drain

[Steve RA]

Down the drain also !

[Nolan]

[fireman1776]

See post below

Edited September 17, 2021 by fireman1776

[fireman1776]

On 9/10/2021 at 12:34 PM, Nolan said:

I’m asking so I kindly adhere to their regulations. I know I can pour it down the drain or in my yard but that it’s not allowed or good for the environment so hoping someone else has a solution. 

[ltdmstr]

On 9/17/2021 at 6:15 PM, fireman1776 said:

I’m asking so I kindly adhere to their regulations. I know I can pour it down the drain or in my yard but that it’s not allowed or good for the environment so hoping someone else has a solution. 

 

Who says it's not allowed?  And what makes you think that tiny amount of lead is going to have any impact on the environment?

[RudyVey]

27 minutes ago, ltdmstr said:

 

Who says it's not allowed?  And what makes you think that tiny amount of lead is going to have any impact on the environment?

It is maybe not the lead that might give issues, but there is always some copper (from the brass) in these waste solutions, and copper is a known anti-microbial, and minute amounts may interfere with the biology of waste water plants.

[ltdmstr]

Ok.  But that's what the plants are for.  And they can handle probably millions of times the trace amount of copper contained in that tiny bit of water.  It's going to have zero impact.  

[Farmer]

8 hours ago, ltdmstr said:

Ok.  But that's what the plants are for.  And they can handle probably millions of times the trace amount of copper contained in that tiny bit of water.  It's going to have zero impact.  

Probably more copper and lead coming from the plumbing in most homes than what your going to add to the system. 

[travail]

I dump mine in the landscaping rocks around the house. In the very off chance it would hurt anything, I don't want anything the grow there anyways so win win.

[rishii]

I dump mine down the drain, where is diluted by the millions of gallons of sewage on its way to the treatment plant

if you want to be sure it doesn’t get to the ground water you could pour it into kitty litter and let it dry out then toss it in the trash

[CPD7119]

I pour mine in a bucket and leave it out in the sun. The water evaporates and leaves the crud in the bucket.

[racerba]

lead-filled liquid?  the amount of lead that might be in the liquid is so small, it's not going to impact the environment in any way.  if you are worried about lead getting into the ground, you might want to think about all the lead you are shooting and leaving behind in the ground at the range.  
and the amount of copper that might be in the solution isn't going to kill all the bacteria that is being used to purify the water at the water treatment plant either...

[Tom S.]

Yup, down the drain, along with my used motor oil, stale gas, DDT, radioactive material and unused cyanide tablets.

 

Isn't that what drains are for?    

[Nick_shoots_fast]

I’ve taken mine to autozone and they will put it in the same containers as their ATF and POWER steering fluid. They take it off my hands. Check there or other car mechanic places. 
 

[stick]

The small amounts of lead and copper in the liquid are not going to damage the environment.  When I wet tumbled, I just dumped it outside in the grass.

[Part_time_redneck]

Out back deep in the woods, pour it out around the still to keep the weeds down. 

 

I only clean brass once or twice a year so not too worried about it. I wonder if some guys dispose of dry tumbling media with the same hazardous precautions or simply throw it in the trash? 

[belus]

The local waste water treatment plant has processes in place to extract the lead and remove it from gray water. I think down the drain is better than in the dirt. Let the professionals do their stuff.