Protect Your Pool Over the Cold Winter Season
Using fresh pool chemicals will ensure that pool maintenance is effective and efficient, but disposing of old pool chemicals isn’t something that should be taken lightly. Improperly disposing of chemicals can have detrimental effects on the surrounding environment, so part of being a responsible pool owner is taking care of old chemicals in the correct manner.
Give Them Away
When pool chemicals are no longer needed because the pool is no longer in use, one of the best ways to get rid of the chemicals is to give them to someone else. Whether a friend or neighbor, a gift of pool chemicals can save them a significant investment over the summer months. Because some pool chemicals are mutually exclusive, not everyone can use every kind of chemical. For example, the chemical base of a pool is either chlorine, bromine or another kind of sanitizer; although these chemicals have the same function, only one kind can be used in the pool at a time. Several people may be able to benefit from the different chemicals.
Hazardous Waste Collections
Many municipalities organize monthly, yearly or biyearly hazardous waste collection days. On these days, town, village or city officials collect hazardous waste from residential homes. This waste can include anything from oil and antifreeze to batteries and paints, as well as pool chemicals. Once these chemicals are collected, they are recycled or otherwise disposed of. Some facilities charge a marginal fee for accepting chemicals.
Hazardous Waste Facilities
A number of municipalities have hazardous waste facilities. These places accept hazardous chemicals all year around and are equipped to safely handle a range of chemicals similar to those collected on designated days in other places. Businesses may have different hours to drop off chemicals than residential homeowners, and there may also be a fee for dropping off the chemicals. These facilities will process the chemicals and turn them into inert and harmless substances.
What Not To Do
Pool chemicals should never be dumped down the drain, rinsed out into the lawn or thrown into the garbage. Some chemicals, such as sodium hypochlorite, can combust if put in contact with organic materials. When mixed — as would occur if dumping down a drain — a chemical reaction can begin when the compounds come in contact with each other and give off a toxic gas.
Water can also begin a dangerous chemical reaction that can result in a scalding reaction that can irritate skin and eyes as well as burn lungs. Some chemicals, such as metallic algaecides, are corrosive substances that can quickly eat through metallic containers. If these chemicals are improperly disposed of, they can chew through pipes and be released into the environment.
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