Every place I worked at back then thought nothing of flushing solvents down the drain.
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“Way” back when I was in college in Long Island in the late '70’s I had a 1969 VW. I would pull over a curb and sewer grate and drain my oil. New oil and filter. Oil change done!
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Yeah, it depends on the state you were in. I did QA (which meant I managed) the chemical systems in a compressor manufacturing plant. That was MD, and there were strict rules about dumping chemicals into the stream on the property. The stream flowed into a river that emptied into the Chesapeake Bay. We couldn’t discharge into the stream. Floor cleanup was a different matter. After picking up the liquid with absorbent pigs, we’d wash the remainder down the drain.
California was quite strict in the 1980s. I worked on a project in northern Santa Barbara County and wanted to use up to a gallon of acetone for cleaning parts in a clean room. SB County was managed by the LA EPA office. Literature told me that acetone couldn’t be used for cleaning in the district. I called the EPA office several times to ask about a very small amount that would be used on rags, evaporated,and then the rags disposed of. Finally the manager of the local EPA called back. He said my use was OK. They wanted to stop backyard mechanics from pouring acetone on auto bodies that they just prepped for paint. That could use gallons. He also said that his staff never returned the call because the amount in question was so small.
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Forget the environmental issues, that’s crazy dangerous from fire/explosion point of view.
We used a big scoop of TSP (tri sodium phosphate) in a hot bucket of water, worked well.
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And it was around the same time that we had to start collecting used antifreeze instead of just draining radiators onto the ground over the wash slab or pouring it down the shop sink.
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We all did that in shop class when I was in school in the 70s. We really didn’t know better then.
I never actually worked as a mechanic though. I wanted to do all the work on my own cars which is why I’m probably the only person with a major in accounting and a minor in auto mechanics.
A good ole bag of Portland cement works better than oil dry or kitty liter to absorb oil. Cheaper too if you have a bag around.
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