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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Disposing of contaminated gasoline?

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/21/2011 : 13:50:55

Well, it looks like I have a can full of bad gas with a potentially rusted interior to deal with. There are waste disposal sites around where I can get rid of the gas, but it seems like they're expecting it to be inside a container when you drop it off. What I'd want to do is pour the bad gas out into their container, instead of dumping it into a 5 gallon bucket or something. The phone numbers they have are only Mon-Fri, so I can't call & ask the question, and none of the FAQ on their site answers it.

Have you guys done this? Can you just dump your bad gas into their tank, or do they even have a tank? Or do they expect you to bring it in some sort of container to be left behind?

I'd like to try to save my metal can since it fits perfectly inside my fuel locker, and my larger 6 gallon plastic tank does not. Fortunately I have the 3 gallon tank the Tohatsu came with that I can use that'll fit, but of course, it's down in my dock box at the marina, 40 minutes drive one way from here.

David
C-250 Mainsheet Editor

Sirius Lepak
1997 C-250 WK TR #271 --Seattle area Port Captain --

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2011 : 14:15:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 Well, it looks like I have a can full of bad gas with a potentially rusted interior to deal with. There are waste disposal sites around where I can get rid of the gas, but it seems like they're expecting it to be inside a container when you drop it off. What I'd want to do is pour the bad gas out into their container, instead of dumping it into a 5 gallon bucket or something. The phone numbers they have are only Mon-Fri, so I can't call & ask the question, and none of the FAQ on their site answers it.

Have you guys done this? Can you just dump your bad gas into their tank, or do they even have a tank? Or do they expect you to bring it in some sort of container to be left behind?

I'd like to try to save my metal can since it fits perfectly inside my fuel locker, and my larger 6 gallon plastic tank does not. Fortunately I have the 3 gallon tank the Tohatsu came with that I can use that'll fit, but of course, it's down in my dock box at the marina, 40 minutes drive one way from here.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

King County -->>http://www.lhwmp.org/home/Yellowbook/material_detail.aspx?ItemID=eLvOBgp4yio%3d

http://www.lhwmp.org/home/HHW/wastemobile.aspx

Edited by - GaryB on 05/21/2011 14:20:07

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2011 : 15:49:49

Man, your Google-fu must be better than mine! Nice find, thanks. Of course the one that's closest to our house (Factoria) is the one that doesn't give you your container back!

However, the one closest to our marina (where the 3 gallon Tohatsu fuel can is) is open Thursday - Saturday, so I can drop it off this coming Friday because I'm taking it off to have a 4 day weekend, and pick up the little fuel can to use when we launch.

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islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4018 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2011 : 17:23:28

If they don't let you keep the can, Dump it in some old milk jugs and give it to them that way but If your metal can is rusted on the inside, Why would you want to keep it anyway?

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2011 : 20:55:13

Get rid of the metal can, too, if it is the source of rust in your gas.

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C25Guy
1st Mate

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USA
37 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2011 : 21:39:31

I agree with getting a cheaper container to drop off but you might find milk jugs don't last long with gas in them. Some plastic containers disappear when they get gas in them and some don't!

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2011 : 06:08:15

I'm not sure if this will work, but it might be worth a try. Take a plastic funnel and put a cone type coffee filter in it. Slowly pour the gas through the funnel into a clean gas can. See what the filter catches. Might need two passes. You could clean the gas enough to use it in a lawn mower or car.

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2011 : 08:36:24

A more exciting way to dispose of it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvaDOKdImMA

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2011 : 13:40:04

In Miami, we watched as an outbored - pun intended - mechanic poured our gas into a large clear plastic container and you could actually see the water and crap go to the bottom. Then he used a small pump to skim the surface gas, thereby reducing the amount to be disposed of. Ran the extracted gas thru a filter and all was well. Google bahamian filter. Works well.

Sten

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2011 : 16:59:28

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redviking
 Google bahamian filter. Works well.

Sten
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I did. I got nothin'.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2011 : 21:06:27

"Potentially rusted interior..." Let them have it and move on. Ethanol wreaks havoc in steel tanks, and is not good in aluminum. Plastic is the only safe container now. There are a variety of shapes besides the standard 6-gallon Tempo. (Check Defender.) But I have to wonder why Catalina designed a fuel storage space that doesn't hold the ubiquitous Tempo 6-gallon tank.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 05/25/2011 21:06:51

calden
Navigator

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USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2011 : 07:42:48

I'd just toss the container if it's rusted. If you really want it, buy a ~$10 gas can somewhere to dispose it in. Auto Zone or Walmart would have something cheap (not advocating Walmart business.)

But surely you can find a disposal site that gives you your can back. I'm in Spokane, and our waste-to-energy hazardous materials site does that. I also know some gas stations and auto parts stores will disposes of petro products for you.

Carlos

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2011 : 08:27:09

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dlucier
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redviking
 Google bahamian filter. Works well.

Sten
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I did. I got nothin'.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hmmm... that used to work - that's what we cruisers call it...

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=100849&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10106&subdeptNum=10434&classNum=10442

it works well.... will not let water nor grit thru...

sten

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2011 : 19:06:20

Took the metal can down to the household hazardous waste facility to dump the gas and evaluate the state of the can afterward. I gave the can to the nice lady working there and asked her if she could bring it back. No problem. She came back shortly, and I asked what it looked like coming out of the can. She said it was rusty, lumpy sludge that came out of the bottom, and it was so thick that she couldn't get it all out. I took a look inside the can with my flashlight, and simply asked her to dispose of the can too (after I got my Tohatsu fitting off of it). There was an easy 1/4" of rusty goo coating the bottom of large parts of the tank, and oddly, some bare metal spots toward the center of the tank that looked perfectly normal. Anyway, with that much crap in there, I figured the structural integrity of the tank had been compromised, and it was just a matter of time before it began leaking.

The hunt continues for a replacement plastic tank.

Edited by - delliottg on 05/27/2011 19:06:58

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2011 : 20:56:53

I know this won't help you C-250 guys, but I discovered today that 2 Merc/Nissan/Tohatsu 3 gallon OEM tanks will fit in the C-25 gas locker side by side.

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2011 : 21:13:31

When I stopped by my marina today to pick up my Tohatsu 3 gallon tank I was wondering the same thing, whether a second one would fit next to it in the tank. I could live with that arrangement, and there's a guy on CL who has 3x tanks that size for sale right now.

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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 05/28/2011 : 10:27:34

This is one of my favorite recurring threads, those of you who know me know what I do with old gas... either dump it in my gutter where it evaporates long before it can get to a sewer or dump it under my trailer at my boat yard to kill the weeds which are a fire hazard.

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 05/28/2011 : 11:05:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 ...But I have to wonder why Catalina designed a fuel storage space that doesn't hold the ubiquitous Tempo 6-gallon tank.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I think you have it backwards. Their locker holds the Tempo VALU6 gas tank, but since Tempo went out of business the new ones are no longer ubiquitous.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 05/28/2011 : 11:07:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RhythmDoctor
 I think you have it backwards...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">No news there...

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 05/28/2011 : 17:14:58

Let's see, dump gas on weeds that are a fire hazard. Especially after you put gas on them!

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2011 : 07:14:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by GaryB
 Let's see, dump gas on weeds that are a fire hazard. Especially after you put gas on them!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Major EPA no-no.... MBTE and other additives foul groundwater, and cleanup costs can be enormous. Known of homeowners who did stupid stuff like that who wound up paying dearly to have it cleaned up.

sten

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4303 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2011 : 07:31:54

I was responding to Frank's email farther above. The point being the dried grass was a fire hazard and the gas isn't?

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redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2011 : 07:37:47

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by GaryB
 I was responding to Frank's email farther above. The point being the dried grass was a fire hazard and the gas isn't?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yeah, I got that....

sten

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