What's the safe way to dispose of used copper etchant?

[Andy]

I've been using Ammonium Persulphate, the instructions just say to "Follow
your local authorities recomendations on disposal.".

Who is the local authority in Aus?

Just how toxic is the stuff - I'm thinking I'll just dig a hole out the back
and pour it in.

 

[Alan Rutlidge]

"Andy" <at@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
news:4369bf8c$0$30573$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...

I've been using Ammonium Persulphate, the instructions just say to "Follow
your local authorities recomendations on disposal.".

Who is the local authority in Aus?

Just how toxic is the stuff - I'm thinking I'll just dig a hole out the
back
and pour it in.

Your local government (council) should be able to advise you on this.
Alternatively and probably better - consult your old high school chemistry
books and see if there is something you can mix with it to turn it into
something useful like Ammonium Sulphate which can be used as a fertiliser on
your plants. Any precipitated copper can then also be used as a trace
element.

Cheers,
Alan

 

[David L. Jones]

Andy wrote:

I've been using Ammonium Persulphate, the instructions just say to "Follow
your local authorities recomendations on disposal.".

Who is the local authority in Aus?

That would probably be your state EPA department.

Just how toxic is the stuff - I'm thinking I'll just dig a hole out the back
and pour it in.

That's what I do for the small quantity I use. Although it would be
best to save it up and dispose of it at your local council chemical
cleanup day (if you have one). We had ours the other week and it was so
popular that there was an hour long wait to get in!

After using ferric chloride as a kid and hearing talk about not pouring
it down the sink, it was interesting to find out that Sydney Water
actually add it to our drinking water! Not that I drink tap water
anyway :->

Dave

 

[Chris Jones]

Andy wrote:

I've been using Ammonium Persulphate, the instructions just say to "Follow
your local authorities recomendations on disposal.".

Who is the local authority in Aus?

Just how toxic is the stuff - I'm thinking I'll just dig a hole out the
back and pour it in.

Don't do what I did.

I stored it in a soft drink bottle, and after a few months, it evolved
enough gas to burst the bottle, and etchant went everywhere. I have
pressurised those softdrink bottles to more than 150PSI without them
bursting, so I hate to think how much pressure was in there when it did
burst. To add to the embarrassment, it happened whilst we had guests
staying over. I had labelled the bottle with lots of stickers saying
"Toxic", so I don't think they were amused when it went everywhere.

In summary, make sure your bottle has an air vent!

Chris

 

[swanny]

Andy wrote:

I've been using Ammonium Persulphate, the instructions just say to "Follow
your local authorities recomendations on disposal.".

Who is the local authority in Aus?

Just how toxic is the stuff - I'm thinking I'll just dig a hole out the back
and pour it in.



You could always evaporate it, and end up with crystals mostly of copper

sulphate and a bit of ammonium sulphate (if you've used the etchant a
lot). I have a few jars of big blue copper sulphate crystals as a result.

 

[(Just) Allan]

On Thu, 03 Nov 2005 22:19:14 GMT, swanny
<blahgswan3blah@blahbigpondblah.comblah.blahau> wrote:

Andy wrote:

I've been using Ammonium Persulphate, the instructions just say to "Follow
your local authorities recomendations on disposal.".

Who is the local authority in Aus?

Just how toxic is the stuff - I'm thinking I'll just dig a hole out the back
and pour it in.



You could always evaporate it, and end up with crystals mostly of copper
sulphate and a bit of ammonium sulphate (if you've used the etchant a
lot). I have a few jars of big blue copper sulphate crystals as a result.

Or just add it to your drinking water - our government encourages
industry to use our kidneys to filter their waste flouride like this
every day.

 

[Roy]

"swanny" <blahgswan3blah@blahbigpondblah.comblah.blahau> wrote in message
news:C1waf.7985$Hj2.5225@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

Andy wrote:

I've been using Ammonium Persulphate, the instructions just say to "Follow
your local authorities recomendations on disposal.".

Who is the local authority in Aus?

Just how toxic is the stuff - I'm thinking I'll just dig a hole out the back
and pour it in.



You could always evaporate it, and end up with crystals mostly of copper
sulphate and a bit of ammonium sulphate (if you've used the etchant a
lot). I have a few jars of big blue copper sulphate crystals as a result.

This stuff is excellent for discouraging termites. Mix copper sulphate with an equal
quantity of calcium carbonate (crushed limestone) and mix with water (100g per litre),
pour it in small quantities (100ml per tree) round the base of your favourite trees and
termites will not trouble for at least a couple of years.

 

[JD]

Contact your local Council or EPA.

JD

"Roy" <roycor2@absamail.co.za> wrote in message
news:1dOdnRyXT4tY4-LeRVn-tA@is.co.za...

"swanny" <blahgswan3blah@blahbigpondblah.comblah.blahau> wrote in message
news:C1waf.7985$Hj2.5225@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
Andy wrote:

I've been using Ammonium Persulphate, the instructions just say to
"Follow
your local authorities recomendations on disposal.".

Who is the local authority in Aus?

Just how toxic is the stuff - I'm thinking I'll just dig a hole out the
back
and pour it in.



You could always evaporate it, and end up with crystals mostly of copper
sulphate and a bit of ammonium sulphate (if you've used the etchant a
lot). I have a few jars of big blue copper sulphate crystals as a result.

This stuff is excellent for discouraging termites. Mix copper sulphate
with an equal
quantity of calcium carbonate (crushed limestone) and mix with water (100g
per litre),
pour it in small quantities (100ml per tree) round the base of your
favourite trees and
termites will not trouble for at least a couple of years.

 

[Rob]

"JD" <jedunk@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news6Nff.21639$Hj2.3977@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

Contact your local Council or EPA.

JD

About 5 yrs ago I contacted WA Water Authority asking about disposal, the
answer: Tip it down the sink with a heap of water behind it.

Sometimes we tipped it down the drain, some times it went out with lab waste
(at a cost of ~ $1/L).

We would have been generating 20 --> 30 L of spent solution per year.

rob