Automotive vs. RV antifreeze

According to some of you people, we all should be dead by now. Years ago it was common practice when changing vehicle anti-freeze and motor oil to spread it on unpaved roads to keep the dust down. How many countless gallons did that add up to? Of course, today that is illegal knowing that is bad for the environment but not as devastating as some might have us think a few cups clean automotive anti-freeze would be.

I personally would not use anything but RV anti-freeze in my camper. At the same time there is no reason to chastise a person for asking about it.

ScottG wrote:
Good grief you guys, he never said anything about putting it in his fresh water system.
Putting a cup or two into the P traps and such is not a big deal and will work fine.

Get serious Scott!!!!!!! It is toxic and should not even be mentioned, other than NEVER use this around an RV. The person who posted this question needs to learn the seriousness of using vehicle anti-freeze. Looks like some people need a lesson in using an RV. Due to the seriousness of this issue, I will NOT refrain from voicing my opinion, though lightly at this time!

RoadAbode wrote:
As we age we learn that the way we do some jobs change. We learn new ways to do old things. In the end, using the right product will be better for all.

So let's learn about why automotive antifreeze should not be put into our sewer systems or watersheds:
From the EPA

Antifreeze is toxic to humans and animals. Waste antifreeze contains heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and chromium in high enough levels to potentially make it a regulated hazardous waste, so most states strictly regulate antifreeze disposal. Antifreeze generators and state and local programs should not dump spent antifreeze on land or discharge it into a sanitary sewer, storm drain, ditch, dry well, or septic system; dumping antifreeze can cause serious water quality problems and might harm people, pets, or wildlife.

Is wastewater treated? Yes, it is treated in order to reduce the hazards of the infectious agents that are in it. Waste water is not treated with the intention of neutralizing industrial chemicals, and in fact, disposal of industrial chemicals will frequently cause harm to the equipment that is used to treat waste water.

It is very naive (and dangerous) to assume that all of our waste water treatment plants are set up to neutralize any substance that someone chooses to dump into a septic or sewer system.

And the EPA is about like the global warming nuts, they say something and think everyone should believe it, It is called control.

relax the guys using about 1/2 a gallon of antifreeze in his MH pee traps he never said he was pouring hundreds of gallons down the toilit of his S+B house some of you greenies can certainly make a mountain out of a ant hill

As we age we learn that the way we do some jobs change. We learn new ways to do old things. In the end, using the right product will be better for all.

So let's learn about why automotive antifreeze should not be put into our sewer systems or watersheds:
From the EPA

Antifreeze is toxic to humans and animals. Waste antifreeze contains heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and chromium in high enough levels to potentially make it a regulated hazardous waste, so most states strictly regulate antifreeze disposal. Antifreeze generators and state and local programs should not dump spent antifreeze on land or discharge it into a sanitary sewer, storm drain, ditch, dry well, or septic system; dumping antifreeze can cause serious water quality problems and might harm people, pets, or wildlife.

Is wastewater treated? Yes, it is treated in order to reduce the hazards of the infectious agents that are in it. Waste water is not treated with the intention of neutralizing industrial chemicals, and in fact, disposal of industrial chemicals will frequently cause harm to the equipment that is used to treat waste water.

It is very naive (and dangerous) to assume that all of our waste water treatment plants are set up to neutralize any substance that someone chooses to dump into a septic or sewer system.

Let me review that question:
Pink stuff is often on sale at places like ACE hardware for around 2-3 dollars per gallon

Automotive antifreeze for 8-12 dollars a gallon.

WHY ARE YOU ASKING THIS QUESTION? I mean it is throwing money away.

Technically I guess you could but it would be better if you did not, Anything you can do to reduce the toxicity of your waste, epically when it cost less to do the right thing, is a good thing.

When I had my travel trailers, I blew out the lines with air...then put a cupfull of auto anti-freeze in each trap, then divided the left over between the toilet (blackwater tank) and the shower (grey water tank). Never a problem. I used air because I did not have a waterheater by-pass valve system.

With the motorhome i could do the same, but use the system the motorhome manufacturer came up with: ball valves for the water heater bypass and a "inlet to pump" ball valve right next to each other, so i use the pink antifreeze thruout. Takes about 3 gallons. Whatever is left over, I put a cupfull in each trap and divvy up the rest between the two tanks.
Question: Why does "Prestone" brand Marine/RV antifreeze cost twice as much as the "no-name" products when both are the same and do the same thing with the same "Good to -20" ?

Water in extreme doses is toxic, also. How does the waste treatment plant deal with that?

ANY amount is not an insignificant amount.

Yes ethylene glycol is toxic if you drink enough of it.

The small amount your would use in a grey, black, and sink drains is an insignificant amount and I would not have any trouble using it for that purpose. FYI, many municipalities are OK with dumping it down the sewer.

The big problem around pets is that it tastes so good that drink a lot of it.