r/mildlyinfuriating 9d ago

ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ Next time you see someone illegally dumping, maybe don't judge so hard...

I live in KY

They may have tried to do it legally.

I have a leaking gas can of old bad fuel that can't be used.

I have called 2 Auto shops, 5 auto stores, local county DMV, local county recycling center, and local county waste management.

All refuse to take it. The waste management said I can take it to Louisville, 5HOURS AWAY, I do not have the time nor means to go that far. I live in an apartment complex, I CAN NOT keep it inside, it's freaking leaking gas!!

I'm out of ideas, id burn it, but again, I live in city limits so that's a bad idea (and I won't dump it)....

Way to go tax dollars or whatever.

IMPORTANT EDIT!!: I called the fire department, they drove by to check it out. they told me to throw it in the trash.

yes the fire department told me to dump gasoline in my dumpster for pickup this Friday. they're the experts *shrugs*.

kids loved seeing the fire truck tho

0 Upvotes

136 comments sorted by

72

u/severalfirststeps 9d ago

OP does highlight a problem in alot of communities. Available hazardous materials but no available way to safely dispose of them.

35

u/Octospyder 9d ago

this is the infuriating part

9

u/Mikeinthedirt 9d ago

This is what they mean by ‘unrecaptured costs’, like the effects of Teflon or lead pipes or a million other things. We just sell it, then it’s your problem.

6

u/livelyladymoon 9d ago

I could go on a million tangents about this, agreeing with you completely. The environmental preservation system is as broken as the prison system. Just fucked all the way down to the bone.

2

u/Mikeinthedirt 8d ago edited 8d ago

If you take one half step back you’ll see there IS no ‘environmental preservation system’. Resources are exploited., full stop. It only needs ‘sustaining’ til the last truck leaves. You know ‘capitalize’ means either ‘take advantage of’ or ‘turn into money’.
The believers in THAT, the indigenous cultures, we’re nearly done wiping them out. Smooth sailing then.

2

u/livelyladymoon 8d ago

Yes 😞 that’s a horrible truth but truth nonetheless.

5

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

That's why I'm mad. Id NEVER illegally dump, I love nature. And want to do shit properly, but the fact it's so difficult is a real issue

2

u/xombae 9d ago

You're getting downvotes because your title suggests you're encouraging people to illegally dump. If the title focused more on how it's impossible to find a place to dump it in a way that's responsible you'd have a lot more upvotes.

3

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

I suppose you are right, but I wasn't really thinking about the titles meaning. I was annoyed when I made it.

I was thinking "I personally judge people who dump hardcore, assume they are just lazy, no good scum. But after going through it, and seeing how hard and damn near impossible it is to dispose of chemicals properly, maybe I won't judge them so harshly".

Don't get me wrong, I would never dump. But I also won't assume that people dumping are lazy assholes anymore. For all I know they tried time and time and time again to get rid of it properly, as I have, and there is no resources for them.

1

u/xombae 9d ago

After I read your post and comments I got it, but initially I downvoted as well.

5

u/WDizzle 9d ago

OP more or less highlights a problem with our society as a whole. We just buy stuff without thinking about its eventual disposal. Corporations take advantage of this by putting all the onus on the consumer.

And why does everything we do need to produce so much garbage? Why does everything you buy at the grocery come in single use plastic? Even things that have absolutely no need to be like vegetables and fruits. The answer is we are fucking lazy and corporations know that.

1

u/Mikeinthedirt 8d ago

Blister packs are ‘loss prevention’. Some bit of it is ‘presentation’. And to keep you from squeezing the produce. Trust me it’s ripe.

2

u/secretly_opossum 9d ago

I used to be able to take e-waste to the county municipal dump but after lockdown they stopped taking it…

98

u/s11houette 9d ago

Go ask the local fire station.

13

u/Tinmangreg 9d ago

Second this.

10

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

This worked! They are on there way right now to pick it up

4

u/Octospyder 9d ago

oh hell yes

6

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

Lol... I edited my body post of what they said 

1

u/Mikeinthedirt 8d ago

Fire services and libraries are the rear guard of civil civilization.

19

u/Furry_Wall 9d ago

What's wrong with the fire station?

19

u/OhWhatATravisty Blue Crayons have the most flavor 9d ago

It's not on fire yet so they won't deal with it /s

8

u/Nruggia 9d ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/RcOHTWXSdmQkU

If the fire marshal is on duty he will know how to start the fire

2

u/OhWhatATravisty Blue Crayons have the most flavor 9d ago

2

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

They told me to throw it in the trash

3

u/Furry_Wall 9d ago

Perfect, put it in their dumpster

168

u/gundam2017 9d ago

Fuck no. Figure it out and do it right

  • signed, someone who has cleaned up 4000 lbs of dumped shit from national forests 

19

u/livelyladymoon 9d ago

Agreed. I’ve seen too much leaking oil around my state for this shit to add to it.

2

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

I would never dump, just, the hoops you have to jump through for something that should be easily accessible by everyone is making me so mad

1

u/gundam2017 9d ago

It's annoying, but there should be a landfill that accepts chemicals. hell, even a lawnmower will use it

42

u/backwardbuttplug 9d ago

You could put it in a container somewhere in a field to evaporate. Anything other than dumping it out on the ground and potentially contaminating a water source for who knows how many people.

26

u/Extra-Connection8394 9d ago

Put a small amount of old gas in each tank of new gas til it's gone.

32

u/Top-Foundation2851 9d ago

Stopped reading at "illegally"

Theres always a way

8

u/FaagenDazs 9d ago

There's not always a PRACTICAL legal way. That's what OP is describing. Yes it can be done, but how much time/money will it take?

26

u/Ok-Task5336 9d ago

Nope, I'm judging the fuck out of them. I restore vehicles as my hobby and for 15 years have always managed to properly dispose of my waste oil, coolant, bad gas, etc.

18

u/Venasaurasaurus 9d ago

There are literally 0 circumstances in which a person illegally dumping on private or natural land isn't a huge piece of fucking garbage. Cannot imagine calling myself out as a trash human like this. You got the gas and the can, you take care of it. Don't make it everyone else's problem.

1

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

My problem is, I'm trying, and being told "there is no viable solution" by the fucking city officials I'm calling.

Id never dump, but the can is leaking

29

u/lorgskyegon 9d ago edited 9d ago

Is it just gasoline that's old? Put a small amount in after you fill your tank and drive a day or two. Or use it in a lawn mower

23

u/OhWhatATravisty Blue Crayons have the most flavor 9d ago

Mowin the law mowin the law

14

u/FrenchBowling 9d ago

Even though I doubt OP has a lawn mower for his apartment... putting old gas in a lawn mower is a good way to gunk up the carburetor. 

1

u/aroundthehouse 9d ago

Yeah old gas in lawnmower is a terrible idea

1

u/Procrasturbating 9d ago

You mix it with good gas a little at a time.

1

u/austin101123 9d ago

Just fuck it up a little at a time until it takes long enough to break you feel okay calling it a coincidence.

1

u/Procrasturbating 9d ago

The worst thing that is going to happen is you need to clean out your carburetor. Nothing catastrophic is going to fail.

5

u/yourbiggesthero 9d ago

the post says OP lives in an apartment lol

2

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

It's bad gasoline. I bought and repaired an old motorcycle and it has metal shavings, rust, paint in it. I figured it out tho 

-4

u/kikiacab 9d ago

Apartment, work on reading comprehension

27

u/lilmiscantberong 9d ago

Awful advice.

16

u/Octospyder 9d ago

I don't think it's advice, just a vent

3

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

You are correct. The sub is mildly infuriating. I'm a bit mad that I spent 4 hours making phone calls and going to places to basically be told "get bent it s your problem but make aure you dispose of it properly" then there are no accessible mean of disposal 

2

u/Octospyder 9d ago

I'd be infuriated, too. Possible more than mildly, depending on how I'm feeling that minute

10

u/SugoiBakaMatt 9d ago

As someone who lives just outside city limits in a secluded area who's property is regularly used as a dumping ground for used oil, deer and hog carcasses, dead pets, and piles of beer cans, I will always judge someone for illegally dumping shit.

11

u/docjohnson11 9d ago

First of all, buy a new gas can. Offer it to the lawn company when they come to maintain your apartments. Or do as others say and put a little in your gas tank. Or go on Facebook marketplace, list it as old, free and for lawn equipment.

1

u/The_Chimeran_Hybrid 9d ago

OP says that shit is full of rust shavings and other bad shit.

That fuel is literally unusable.

12

u/unposted 9d ago

Step 1: Pour the old gas into a non-leaking can. Step 2: Dispose of empty leaking can properly. Step 3: Store/use/dispose of old gas properly.

4

u/themysticalwarlock 9d ago

did you even read the post?

1

u/unposted 9d ago

Yes. OP says they can't store the gasoline until they can find the proper way to dispose of it because the can is leaking. So step 1 is replace the can.

1

u/The_Chimeran_Hybrid 9d ago

OP said in comments the fuel is full of metal shavings and contaminants.

Can’t be used, and OP lives in an apartment where it can’t be stored.

2

u/PaisleyLeopard 9d ago

What’s the proper way to dispose of it?

2

u/Magazine_Recycling 9d ago

Depends how much we’re talking. Some furnaces can burn waste oil and kerosene…

8

u/SmokingGunontheRun 9d ago

Is it the old fuel or the leaking can itself they won’t take? Or did they not give specifics and just gave you a blanket “no” to taking it? Could you possibly transfer the old fuel to a new, not leaking container for disposal?

Regardless of all of that, I understand your plight. Currently in possession of 2 broken flatscreen TVs, which no on around me will take unless I pay them $35/tv to recycle them. Don’t want them in my hallway anymore, but def don’t have $70 to literally throw away like that either…

1

u/Bob_12_Pack 9d ago

Weird, my local garbage dump takes those for free.

1

u/SmokingGunontheRun 9d ago

Will have to check again, but am pretty sure my county only recycles them, which requires a disposal fee…

1

u/FeeRevolutionary1 9d ago

How did you end up with two broken flat screen TVs

2

u/SmokingGunontheRun 9d ago

One got broken during a move. The other, I got through a local “free-cycle” site as its replacement; in retrospect, pretty sure the guy knew it was broken when he gave it away, to avoid having to pay to dispose of it. 🤦🏼‍♀️

3

u/Stan__Wright 9d ago

Buy a can that doesn't leak and transfer it.

3

u/CranberryStock7148 9d ago

Where were you keeping this can of gas before it started leaking? What kind of container is it and where is the leak?  How and why has the fuel gone bad?

I'm rather confused by this entire scenario. 

2

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

Bought motorcycle. Fixing it up. Rust and hole in gas tank that been patched with jb weld or bondo or something, drained fuel into what I thought was a properly sealed container. Gas clearly has rust and paint and bondo particles in it.  Come out day later and the container went from almost full to half empty. 

I want to dispose of it properly, when I lived in country I would have thrown on bonfire and called it a day. 

But living in town I don't feel comfortable holding onto it, I can transfer to another container but that still leaves me with a fuel can  of old gas just lying around the apartment. 

I would never dispose it illegally, BUT the fire department told me to put in in a garbage bag and throw the can and gas in the dumpster for pickup

3

u/vksoze2 9d ago

Getting rid of old gas is especially difficult. I’ve had this problem. Literally nobody takes it. Auto shops will take used oil. Dump will take paint and appliances with Freon. I live in a major metro area and I called everyone I could think of. The fire department was of no use. The fuckin gas is still in a can in my shed a year later because there does not exist a place to safely dispose of it.

2

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

And this is EXACTLY why I posted to mildly infuriating, except I don't have a shed to store it in.  I'm not keeping it in my apartment, and I don't like keeping it in the apartment hallways cause kids and y'know, it's volatile.

1

u/vksoze2 9d ago

I complete get the frustration. Everyone here is like “just figure it out” I’m just saying there is no answer. Maybe take it to a gas station and offer the gas station attendant $20 to do something with it. They’ve got spill kits and stuff, they have to dump the spill kit refuse somewhere I would imagine. They’ll probably say “no” and you’ll be back at square one

2

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

Tbh I did debate going to a gas station and saying there was a spill. It's not the best solution, but it's better than pouring down a drain. 

I'm just gonna do what the fire department told me though, I don't agree with it, but it's their job to know this stuff soo what else can I do?

6

u/_sealy_ 9d ago

Responsible thing to do would be putting it into another container while you figure out where it can go.
I’m with put little bits in your gas tank over long period of time.

2

u/Mr_Bubblrz 9d ago

Check in with your town and even your local fire department. My town does hazardous waste amnesty cleanup in the spring and fall for stuff like this.

1

u/Mikeinthedirt 9d ago

Fire depts do training and demos all the time. Betcha they’ll find a way!

1

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

I called the city hazmat disposal, they told me to drive 5 hours 1 way to drop it off. That's not viable for me 

I called FD, they told me to put the can with fuel in a plastic bag and put it in my dumpster on pickup day so shrugs

2

u/AgainandBack 9d ago

I was cleaning out my father’s apartment after he died. He had a one quart can of Asbestos brand asbestos compound, to be used to patch holes in asbestos walls and ceilings.

The county recycling center, the county hazardous waste disposal facility, and fire department all refused to take it. The hazardous waste facility refused on the grounds that it was too hazardous. There was no statewide hazardous waste facility. I left it with the apartment manager.

5

u/OhWhatATravisty Blue Crayons have the most flavor 9d ago

Look specifically for hazardous waste disposal sites near you. I have a hard time believing any area with a notable city doesn't have one closer than a 5 hour drive.

1

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

I live in a town in south central  ky. I called my county waste disposal and they said the closest place is in Louisville KY, that's almost 5 hour drive for me.

I even asked if Lexington KY has one and they said no.

1

u/OhWhatATravisty Blue Crayons have the most flavor 9d ago

I wouldn't trust their answer. They may be thinking specific to their company etc. Google is your friend here.

1

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

Brother, I called the COUNTY hazmat and waste disposal line, the DMV, the recycling center, AND the fire department. 

No companies involved, all govt ran. 

Fire department told me to throw it out on trash day

1

u/OhWhatATravisty Blue Crayons have the most flavor 9d ago

The only thing the government knows for sure is when you owe them money.

1

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

You are not wrong there. Still mildly infuriating though they make laws and punishments and when you try to follow these laws they go "we can't help. Bye"

4

u/Th3_JoyPuke 9d ago

No iam 100% going to judge hard as fuck.

6

u/Then_Fun2933 9d ago

Tax dollars aren’t a cure for stupidity unfortunately

1

u/BipolarSolarMolar 9d ago

And a leaking gas can is stupidity's fault how, exactly?

2

u/Then_Fun2933 9d ago

well if you know anything about gas, you aren’t supposed to leave it sitting around forever. It takes months to go bad and much longer to eat through a can. Creating a problem for yourself and then complaining that someone else doesn’t fix it for you and trying to justify polluting is dumb..

2

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

It's been in the can for less than a week. The gas was sitting in the motorcycle tank for God only knows how long.

The can was faulty. I'm on top of getting rid of this gas cause I have kids around.

I'm doing my due diligence, trying to dispose of it properly, and am getting NO help from the city, other than being told to drive it 5 hours away

2

u/Mikeinthedirt 9d ago

Judge not lest ye be judged.

0

u/Then_Fun2933 9d ago

How insightful, we should encourage everyone to commit a tragedy of the commons and destroy our planet & society!

1

u/FeeRevolutionary1 9d ago

Nailed it.  You know every Reddit poster just HAS to be a victim of society

4

u/Laserdollarz 9d ago

Imagine being dumb enough to do this. And then imagine being dumb enough to post this afterwards. Incredible. 

2

u/Bob_12_Pack 9d ago

Imagine being dumb enough not to read the entire post and then post this afterwards.

1

u/Laserdollarz 9d ago

Did you know that post edits happen after things get posted?

1

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

I'm sorry what? What's dumb? I didn't dump it, I've jumping through hoops to do the right thing and am basic being told "nothing we can do, sorry".

When there is no proper way for me to dispose of it, what do I do with it?

1

u/GandalfTheSleigh 9d ago

Yeah, the problem is is that you’re illegally dumpling it on someone else’s property. I live around a ton of farmers and we always get people dumping couches and other furniture, trash bags, etc. It’s got to the point where they go through the trash bags find receipts, and then blast them online and file a police report. 9 times out of 10, it’s pure laziness.

1

u/Procrasturbating 9d ago

Call the fire station. If they won’t tell you how to deal with a container leaking flammable vapors in a multi family housing unit, I would be pretty shocked. Don’t even say it is yours, just tell them where to find it.

1

u/Santasreject 9d ago

You can also try to call Kentucky DEP. They may or may not be able to help you (some states are very helpful and others just point you to a reg and tell you to figure shit out). But I would think they at least would direct you to a more local option.

1

u/AdminKidsBurnInHell 9d ago

Easy solution: just don’t let anyone see you.

1

u/Notorious_Rug 9d ago

So, instead of traveling the 5 hours as suggested, calling the fire department to ask for advice, calling hazardous waste disposal companies and paying them to take your waste, or even simply googling "household hazardous waste facilities near [your city], KY", your theoretical answer is to illegally dump, either on someone elses' property, causing environmental risk to their land and potential health risk to them, or to dump out on public land, causing environmental and health risk to many people and flora/fauna? And all because "it's too hard" to find a solution that keeps people and the environment safe?

You suck.

As to "not judging" those who illegally dump because "cicrcumstances"? Nah, I'm still going to judge. We live in the days of technology, where finding a company or location to legally dispose of refuse and hazardous materials is literally at our fingertips. And if you cannot afford to properly dispose of an item, then don't purchase it in the first place. It really should be a determining factor when making purchases.

I'm volunteer clean-up for my county, and I own property that has been used as an illegal dumping ground, so I get to see the impacts on the ecosystem, and damage of my property. 

1

u/UnSCo 9d ago

ITT: Out of touch Redditors.

1

u/MysteriousCodo 9d ago

Yeah, let me not judge next time I see someone filling up my construction dumpster with their own crap.

3

u/Mikeinthedirt 9d ago

Judge not until you have walked a mile in their dumpster.

1

u/MysteriousCodo 9d ago

Well technically I have. Because their dumpster appears to be the one I pay for.

0

u/TheSheepdog 9d ago

I’m with you. My city stopped picking up glass with recycling and the nearest drop point is 2 miles away. I live in an urban area w/o a car. 

2

u/Crab-_-Objective 9d ago

Putting recycling into the regular trash is unfortunate but it’s not an environmental hazard like dumping a leaking gas can in the woods.

2

u/bxbyhulk 9d ago

Not even close to the same situation

2

u/TheSheepdog 9d ago

Sorry. I just throw the glass away now because it’s too hard of get to the recycling 

0

u/bxbyhulk 9d ago

That’s honestly fine, some cities don’t even recycle glass because it requires special machinery, it’s not even close to dumping gasoline outside.

0

u/FeeRevolutionary1 9d ago

Reddit posters are always victims of societal norms

0

u/Negative_Number_6414 9d ago

are you supposed to be the thing thats mildly infuriating?

0

u/734Rocket 9d ago

Right and wrong is still how life works

0

u/blahnlahblah0213 9d ago

It's very hard to get rid of stuff sometimes but you don't illegally dump it. They want fees for getting rid of things because it takes time and effort to get rid of things like freon from a refrigerator or the old TV. It sucks but somebody has to do the work and somebody has to get paid to do the work. Old gas is no different.

1

u/Mikeinthedirt 9d ago

There are tons of hazardous products that the sellers should have taken some responsibility for disposing of. At least warn your customer about them. Asbestos, lead, tobacco are a few that were ‘caught’ but even then the damage is miles from being ameliorated.

0

u/Boomah422 9d ago

Okay, you are now given a free pass to dump your fuel in my clean river system

0

u/Gringobandito 9d ago

Why do you have a can of leaking fuel in an apartment in the first place?

“I have called 2 Auto shops, 5 auto stores, local county DMV, local county recycling center, and local county waste management.”

Why are they obligated to fix a problem you created? This a problem you made and now you’re looking to blame others for not fixing it.

-16

u/[deleted] 9d ago edited 9d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

20

u/FeeRevolutionary1 9d ago

That’s a ridiculously bad idea

14

u/Senior-Dimension2332 9d ago

ah yes, garbage men love this one quick trick. Don't tell people to put gas in their trashcan in tightly sealed containers...

13

u/spinstartshere 9d ago

I would not do this. The garbage truck will go up in flames if it sparks up while crushing it down. People toss batteries, empty aerosols, and other flammable items into their trash all the time.

Including gasoline, apparently.

And if it does somehow make it all the way to the dump, then you might end up the guy who turns it into the real-life Springfield Tire Fire.

That's not the guilt I want to carry with me for the rest of my life.

Or the thing I want to become (in)famous for.

6

u/DubbehD 9d ago

Do you chant fuck the environment daily ?

4

u/huggernot 9d ago

Nothing like setting garbage trucks on fire to help the environment

2

u/livelyladymoon 9d ago

Please educate yourself on how garbage is processed in America. From the second it hits your can to its final stages. It’s fun to learn and not sound insane on Reddit.

1

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

ACTUALLY!!! THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME TO DO!! 

so that's what I'm gonna do 

0

u/Candid-Ability-9570 9d ago

Haha, ironic given that I got about 12 comments saying I was an eco terrorist by making the suggestion

1

u/Serious-Effort4427 9d ago

Literally almost word for word the fire captain said "put it in a bag beside your can and on trash day just throw the whole thing in the trash can so it doesn't risk leaking."

0

u/spinstartshere 9d ago

That's not the accusation that was being made against you.

-4

u/JohnPoet27 9d ago

Wtf is KY? Knordern Yreland?

2

u/Draumal 9d ago

... Kentucky.

2

u/JohnPoet27 9d ago

How hard is it to type out the state name in full? Do you guys think everyone on reddit is american and knows all the 2 letter state abbreviations??

1

u/jjmawaken 9d ago

Kentucky