Caustic = Drain Cleaner

Tony Shelton

Tony Shelton

BS Detector, Esquire
Does anyone think its interesting that Drain Cleaner (and especially industrial drain cleaner) is simply Sodium Hydroxide. I tested some drain cleaner side by side with Chris' hot caustic mix and they react with aluminum about the same. (I didn't want to do the squirt in the eye test after what happened last time I did that)

Chris might use 1/2 gallon on a really dirty dumpster, then rinse it with 75-100 gallons.
This drain cleaner calls for about a 1/4 gallon in one sink application. (After treatment it says "rinse with hot water".)

How is our use of Sodium Hydroxide EVER under any circumstances going to UPSET the balance of our sewer system with the small amounts we are using?

Russ Just said he went out of town doing shopping centers and only carried 50 lbs of caustic for bad areas. How, in the course of a week or so is that 50 lbs of caustic mixed with thousands of gallons of water spread over a couple of states going to even be detectable?

Why isn't anyone questioning the ignorance of some of this thought process that is changing the way we have to do business?
 
Russ Just said he went out of town doing shopping centers and only carried 50 lbs of caustic for bad areas. How, in the course of a week or so is that 50 lbs of caustic mixed with thousands of gallons of water spread over a couple of states going to even be detectable?
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No....
 
Tony you are correct..... In the sanitary sewer whatever goes down ins mixed with MILLIONS of gallons of water a day.....(the plant i work at is a 4 million gallon a day plant)
The big problem is the storm sewer,,,,,this goes to the creek or river or runs off in someones pond.
But then again, with the rinse down it is diluted so much that it would not hurt anything most of the time.....
I gess they are just trying to have some type of regulation. And I think some of the ones that are helping with the regulations are making a mint off the industry,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,reclaim systems,,,,,,,,etc.
thas my .02 cents.
 
Richard Fleming said:
Tony you are correct..... In the sanitary sewer whatever goes down ins mixed with MILLIONS of gallons of water a day.....(the plant i work at is a 4 million gallon a day plant)
The big problem is the storm sewer,,,,,this goes to the creek or river or runs off in someones pond.
But then again, with the rinse down it is diluted so much that it would not hurt anything most of the time.....
I gess they are just trying to have some type of regulation. And I think some of the ones that are helping with the regulations are making a mint off the industry,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,reclaim systems,,,,,,,,etc.
thas my .02 cents.
Click to expand...

I was talking about the sewer. Walmart doesn't allow caustics. Why? Because some idiot has convinced them of a lie.

We've lost the battle on the storm drain. Regulation was put in place to stop industrial toxic dumping but because the IQ level of government officials is so low, they couldn't build in any flexibility for non-harmful amounts.
 
Wal-mart is so scared of being sued cause they know everyone knows they have deep pockets that If someone tell them a horror story about something like caustic,,,,,,,they go off the deep end and make their rules like the no caustic usage.
 
Tony Shelton said:
I was talking about the sewer. Walmart doesn't allow caustics. Why? Because some idiot has convinced them of a lie.

We've lost the battle on the storm drain. Regulation was put in place to stop industrial toxic dumping but because the IQ level of government officials is so low, they couldn't build in any flexibility for non-harmful amounts.
Click to expand...
Tony alot rules from the epa were made for larger companies then you and me. I am talking about Kodac and others that dumped waste in large to lakes and rivers. You would never see me eat any of the fish from any of the great lakes I lived in Rochester NY for years between all the plants dumping waste into lake onterio and having nucaler power plant on the lake you are aload 2 fish week out of that lake.
 
Is it the caustic they are trying to keep out of the systenm or the oil that is emulsified by the caustic and sent in the street drains?

There is no use trying to make sense of the enviromental laws becuase they are not made to make sense.I work n a wastetreatment plant full time and we have permits that allow you t do different things for different reasons.I can use this caustic or acid to adjust a ph for this reason because I have a permit for that.But if I don't have a permit I cant use it for something else even though it is going to the same place.Making sense of it doesn't apply.
 
cajun cleanin said:
Is it the caustic they are trying to keep out of the systenm or the oil that is emulsified by the caustic and sent in the street drains?

There is no use trying to make sense of the enviromental laws becuase they are not made to make sense.I work n a wastetreatment plant full time and we have permits that allow you t do different things for different reasons.I can use this caustic or acid to adjust a ph for this reason because I have a permit for that.But if I don't have a permit I cant use it for something else even though it is going to the same place.Making sense of it doesn't apply.
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With out going further thats why i said no.
 
Have you been looking at proposed EPA run off rules for the next 5 years?
Might want to get involved NOW with your local politicians over it. Areas like LA and Washington DC are implementing plans to not even allow garbage disposals in commercial restaurants since they put too much particulate matter into the systems.
I belive LA might allready have the plan in effect
 
Tony Shelton said:
Does anyone think its interesting that Drain Cleaner (and especially industrial drain cleaner) is simply Sodium Hydroxide. I tested some drain cleaner side by side with Chris' hot caustic mix and they react with aluminum about the same. (I didn't want to do the squirt in the eye test after what happened last time I did that)

Chris might use 1/2 gallon on a really dirty dumpster, then rinse it with 75-100 gallons.
This drain cleaner calls for about a 1/4 gallon in one sink application. (After treatment it says "rinse with hot water".)

How is our use of Sodium Hydroxide EVER under any circumstances going to UPSET the balance of our sewer system with the small amounts we are using?

Russ Just said he went out of town doing shopping centers and only carried 50 lbs of caustic for bad areas. How, in the course of a week or so is that 50 lbs of caustic mixed with thousands of gallons of water spread over a couple of states going to even be detectable?

Why isn't anyone questioning the ignorance of some of this thought process that is changing the way we have to do business?
Click to expand...

funny this is I carried 50 pounds and I brought back 48.5 pounds
 
You needed a little "something" to keep you awake on the long drive back, huh?
;)
 
Tony Shelton said:
I the IQ level of government officials
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This was portrayed in an episode of Family Guy, Peter worked for a tobacco company and all he had to say to the morons in Washington was "come on" and they all agreed. This is not exactly what you are talking about, but it was the first thing I though of. Family Guy always puts out classic episodes.
 
Tony Shelton said:
I was talking about the sewer. Walmart doesn't allow caustics. Why? Because some idiot has convinced them of a lie.

We've lost the battle on the storm drain. Regulation was put in place to stop industrial toxic dumping but because the IQ level of government officials is so low, they couldn't build in any flexibility for non-harmful amounts.
Click to expand...
Is this because of the runoff/epa concerns or because of exposure/burn concerns? I vote the latter.
 
Tony Shelton said:
I was talking about the sewer. Walmart doesn't allow caustics. Why? Because some idiot has convinced them of a lie.

We've lost the battle on the storm drain. Regulation was put in place to stop industrial toxic dumping but because the IQ level of government officials is so low, they couldn't build in any flexibility for non-harmful amounts.
Click to expand...


They do not want any type of chemical going down their sanitary sewer, caustice or not. That also goes for the city and county sanitary sewers. You bring up a good point.
 
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