I like that framework for thinking about how to deal with rags, Jonathan!

If I understand what you're saying correctly, your collective may be breaking a law: 

Exempt generators cannot dispose of their hazardous waste in storm drains, landfills and dumpsters. Federal, state and local laws prohibit these actions since it may cause environmental and public health problems. The landfills in Salt Lake County are prohibited from accepting hazardous or liquid waste. Violators of these laws can face both civil and criminal penalties.

Fortunately, it looks like there's a program for you!  http://slcohealth.org/programs/waterQualHazWaste/solidHazWaste/householdHazWaste/businessWaste.html

On Fri, Oct 9, 2015 at 3:25 PM, Jonathan Morrison <jonathan@bicyclecollective.org> wrote:

It really depends on your area's environmental issues.  You have to pick your poison.

If water pollution is the biggest concern, do not clean them or use a service that cleans them.  If air pollution is the biggest concern, do not burn them or use a service that burns them.  If soil pollution is the biggest concern, do not throw them away.

For salt lake city, Utah (a desert climate with inversion issues) I would rank our importance in this order:

1) Air
2) Water
3) Soil/Earth

So we throw them away and they sit at the local dump. If we wanted to go the extra mile we would bring them to the hazardous waste facility at the dump for special processing.  But without really knowing what that entails it could be worse.  The time required to drive to the dump takes away time from the activities defined by our mission statement.  You also don't want the fire hazard of a pile of oily rags sitting around.

On Oct 9, 2015 1:10 PM, <dontito@videotron.ca> wrote:

We’re looking into the disposal problem for oily and greasy rags generated in bike shops.

1.     I’d like to get an idea of the amount of this waste generated in different shops as a function of shop activity. 

2.    Where do your dirty rags go?

3.    Some shops use commercial services that supply clean rags and collect and clean them after they’ve been used.   If you’re familiar with this kind of service do you know the cost? Do you know what sort of cleaning treatment they use and what happens to that effluent?

4.    Anybody found creative ways to detoxify this shop waste?

Thanks!

 

Donnie

SantroVélo, Montréal

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