How to Dispose of Mineral Turpentine

Turpentine is an oily substance derived from pine tree extracts commonly used to thin paint and other oil-based products. It's widely used in chemical processing to make sulfur, resin, wax, and oil. Turpentine has a variety of home uses that Australians can take advantage of. These include paint cleanup, waterproofing, lubricating, and sanitation and more. However, it’s important to know the most vital ways to dispose of used turps in Australia because turpentine is poisonous when ingested. With this in mind, keep reading to discover how to dispose of used turps the proper way!

HOW TO DISPOSE OF A CONTAINER OF TURPENTINE PROPERLY.

The disposal method you choose depends on the amount of turpentine in it. Here are two good techniques below.

DISPOSING OF A NEARLY EMPTY CONTAINER OF TURPENTINE.

With a nearly empty turpentine container, you must let the leftover turpentine evaporate before disposing of it. This method is ideal for a container with only half a cm turpentine remaining. Simply uncap the container and place it in a cool, ventilated area away from flammable objects and heat sources.
 You can do this in the garage or the yard. Allow the container to sit outside until the turpentine has completely dried out. Depending on how much is left in the container, it may take several hours to evaporate. After the turpentine evaporates, take some paper and neatly wrap the container. Place the wrapped container in a plastic bag and toss the bag in the trash. If you cleaned paint brushes with turpentine, the container might have some paint debris at the bottom. You can let it dry if it's less than 1cm. If it's larger than 1cm, take the container to a hazardous waste facility for safe disposal.

DISPOSING OF ALMOST FULL CONTAINERS OF TURPENTINE

If your turpentine container is full, you must dispose of it as hazardous waste. The same holds for containers containing more than 1/4 inches of turpentine. You must dispose of it at a nearby hazardous waste facility. Allowing a large amount of turpentine to dry in the open will create an unnecessary fire hazard due to the flammable fumes.

Take time to research your Australian municipality's, city, or state's hazardous waste disposal policy. Find a hazardous waste disposal hub in your area to dispose of turpentine safely. 
Keep your turpentine container if you don't have time to do this. Wait for a collection event in your area so you can dispose of the turpentine. Keep your sealed container in a cool, dry place until then. 
Many municipalities host events to make disposal of hazardous household waste easier. You may still be required to take your turpentine to the local church or city hall for disposal. These events are designed to provide free disposal of hazardous materials such as turpentine. You can look online for event dates in your area. Investigate the website of your city, county, or local municipality to learn everything you can about the process of disposing turps at the event.
 You can also look for hazardous waste disposal facilities that offer collection services. You will incur a small fee to have the facility pick up the turpentine container directly from you.

HOW TO DISPOSE OF ITEMS SOAKED IN TURPENTINE

Here are some methods of disposing of items soaked in turpentine! Put the items in a cool and ventilated spot. All turpentine-soaked items, such as containers, rags, brushes, and so on, should be placed on a non-absorbent surface. Place these items in a shady area outside or an open garage. 
Make sure to keep them out of direct sunlight. Lay the rags as flat as possible to allow them to dry evenly and quickly. The area in which you choose to dry these items must be well-ventilated. This is to prevent any accidents from turpentine fumes that are extremely flammable. Furthermore, inhaling them in high concentrations can be harmful to your health.   

Place the items that have been soaked on a steel or concrete surface. Turpentine will not harm these materials because they are non-absorbent and flame-resistant. Let the Items Dry Completely Allow the turpentine-soaked items to completely dry. Rotate them regularly to ensure that they dry evenly and quickly. To ensure that both sides of the rags are completely dry, flip them over after about 30 minutes. Depending on the amount of turpentine soaked by the object, drying time can range from a few minutes to several hours.

Throw the Dried Items in Your Garbage The turpentine-covered items are no longer a fire hazard once they have dried. You can use newspapers and disposable plastic bags to wrap them. Place the wrapped items in the garbage can outside your home.



HOW TO REUSE THE TURPENTINE

You can also choose to reuse the turpentine. Reusing anything is very environmentally friendly, and you can consider this method in the case of turpentine too. Here is how to properly do this!


1) Let the Paint Debris Settle Give your turpentine some time to settle to the bottom of the container before filtering the turpentine from the can.

2) Get Another Large Container If you want to strain the paint solid particles from your turpentine, you'll need another large container to hold everything. Ensure the container is made of glass or metal and has a secure lid. A coffee filter be used to strain the turpentine and prevent paint debris from entering the new jar. Then, to avoid any accidents, dry the coffee filter and dispose of it safely.

3) Tighten the jar and keep It safe After pouring the turpentine into the new jar, seal it tightly and store it somewhere safe. Remember that the turpentine jar should never be placed near a heat source.

CONCLUSION

In this article, we've highlighted the best ways to help you dispose of used turps properly. Remember to take extreme precautions whenever you want to dispose of used turps in Australia. From drying out the containers to disposing of a container as hazardous waste, apply these tips the next time you handle turpentine in an Australian environment.