Can anyone recommend a safe, legal, and not too expensive way to
dispose of their “used” electro plating fluids?
Don
I used to send the old plating solutions to the same people I used to
refine bench sweeps and scrap. However, they no longer accept it. I
have accumulated a couple bottles, and just haven’t gotten around to
dealing with them yet. I’d suggest you call a few of the refiners
like Hoover and Strong, United Precious Metals, or any other listed
in JCK or any of the trade mags. I’m sure you’d find them on the web
too. If not, I can e-mail you addresses and phone numbers. Let us
know who you find that will do it for you.
David L. Huffman
Can anyone recommend a safe, legal, and not too expensive way to dispose of their "used" electro plating fluids?
G’day Don et al; Neutralise them with bicarbonate if acid, but
DON’T add acids to cyanides! Mix cyanides with iron salts, like
ferrous sulphate, which will cause compounds to form which lock the
cyanides up tightly, probably forming Prussian Blue in the process.
Mix all the treated wastes with sawdust, or if for some reason you
can’t get that, then use ‘kitty litter’ and spread it out on a tray
where animals - especially human ones - can’t get at it. When it is
thoroughly dry, wrap it in old newspapers, fasten the bundle with
tape, and dispose of it in your friendly neighbourhood garbage can.
Don’t worry; it won’t pollute the garbage heap; millions of others got
there first. Old cars, batteries, brass, ashes, timber - you name it.
hundreds of tons of it. HOWEVER: if your wastes are of commercial
amounts, then you’ll have to contact your local Council waste disposal
people and do what they tell you. And you’ll have to pay for it.
John Burgess; @John_Burgess2 of Mapua Nelson NZ