Getting rid of old gasoline?
 

We got our boat out of storage and before we can get things up and running we have to empty the gas tank and clean it. The problem is this. It's a 100 gallon gas tank with 15 yr old gas in it. The gas probably is no good anymore. Where can we dispose of it? We've been told to just build a bonfire and try to burn it up. That might work (if the gas burns even) except that we live in the middle of town and we couldn't have a fire that big, legally, let alone safely.

Any suggestions?

Storing Old Gasoline

This website says the best way to get rid of it is to recondition it and then use it.

Do you have a lawnmower or snow blower? I would use it for those items before in a car (just because you wouldn't want your car to sputter and die miles from your home).

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not sure if I want to spend the time 'reconditioning' 100 gallons of fuel. Everyone we talk to at the repair shop, etc. say that the fuel may not even be flammable anymore after 15 years of sitting. I guess the only way to find that out is to siphon some out and see if it'll burn. If not - then we're SOL.

I would not try to use it or "recondition" it. You will be spending more money than you saved on new fuel injectors/ cleaning carburetors and dealing with the other problems of old gas. Not to mention that it could leave you stranded if really bad. In all honesty you could prolly dilute it and burn it whatever just fine but it is not worth the risk IMO. Use it to start campfires. Maybe pick up some 55 gallon drums to store your large amount and only use less than a gallon every time you go camping.

If you do not do that maybe there is a hazardous waste collection type program? Out in the Republik of Kalifornia, there are places that will take old paint and the like... I imagine that they would take old gas. You would still likely loose your container though.

That's what drains are for. I realize that 1000 gallons is a lot, and it might take some time, but it should all fit down the drain. Congrats!

Even though this is a lot of gas, it should count as household hazardous waste.

I found this on the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality website:
Link It's a map of Recycling, Composting and Household Hazardous Waste Contacts - click on your county and it will tell you who to contact.

I hope this was a joke. Michigan is known for its natural beauty - I have a hunch that the people there wouldn't be too happy if they found out about someone dumping 100 gallons of nasty old fuel.

if you have no other way your county should have a hazmat collection site....mine does...and they should take it if you have a way of getting it there...

As the world is going to end in 2012 anyway, just pick somebody you don't like and pour the gas in their yard. Not worth stressing about.

The environment is not joking matter. I never ever joke about the environement.

I would throw it over into the neighbor's yard that never cuts his grass and has his back yard growing taller than a 6 foot privacy fence and you have called the city on him 4 times and the grass has only been cut once in the 2 years you have lived in your house and no one ever goes into the yard and.......oh wait, that's me.

Yeah I would probably see if there is a hazardous household waste site you can drop it off at.

Well, I was gonna suggest picking out the neighborhood busybody's yard and pouring the gas into the shape of a pentagram, swastika, or some other such scary symbol, and setting it ablaze. That way you get to see if it's still flammable. Win-win.

But...I kinda like Montana's suggestion better than my own. So...

You could fill bottles and sell Molotovs at the next major sporting event.

Maybe you could donate it to the Fire Arts Festival
http://thecrucible.org/images/storie...irevortex1.jpg

I vote for putting Styrofoam in it, then painting pictures with the goo and lighting it on fire. Then post pictures.

Please don't burn it. That can be dangerous, for you. I could use it though. I've got some fire ants I need to get rid of.

You're best bet is the hazardous waste disposal route.

Yep I nail fire ants with gas. Nothing wipes them out faster. The fumes just follow the tunnels.

But for that much, waste disposal is the key. Every city has a facility, generally.

Well, nearest hazardous waste disposal is an hour away. Our town does not even have a dump. We send all our garbage two towns away to get rid of it. We have no recycling in town either - we take all our recycling to a recycling center 20 miles away. We've had a couple friends offer to take at least a few gallons and they plan to put a gallon or two into their tanks each trip to the gas station. May take a while but that may be the only way. Now... To find a approved barrell or tank big enough to siphon it all out at once?... we may just have to wait awhile before we can use the boat.

I may be throwing this in too late. If Fire departments in Michigan can do live structure training, they'll be glad to get it.

If I had your situation I would try to locate a local VOLUNTEER fire department. Some paid departments have more strictures on training.
The reason for this: a lot of volunteer and some paid municipal departments use old structures for training purposes.
I know of one older house a local department set on fire 3 times for training before completly destroying it.
1st fire was like an early report house fire with heavy smoke damage on to the last which had the house fully involved.
The main use for flammbles is to start or spread flame. Local fire marshals and arson investigators can also use it for study purposes in their own training.

The biggest problem is likely the benzene content. Benzene is nasty and a little goes a long ways. In more rural areas, FD's are usually happy to help you get rid of it and to avoid having to come to your place to put out a fire. Pouring gas out anywhere can and will get in groundwater somewhere and is super expensive to clean up the soil. You don't want to be paying for your own superfund hazardous waste clean-up.

Either ask if a local oil change shop has a few extra 30 or 55 gallon drums around that they want to get rid of and store it in those until you can haul it to hazardous waste disposal, or call the fire department or state department of environmental protection and ask what you can do with it since you don't want to just dump it.