# Hydrochloric Acid disposal HELPPP



## ktotess (Oct 3, 2017)

I used hydrochloric acid and water to remove concrete from my tools (in a plastic bucket) but did not know how dangerous it was and how complicated the disposal process can be--first time using it obviously. It is pretty late at night and there's not much I can do but I am scared to leave it outside overnight uncovered and I don't have a lid for it


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

What possessed you to use hydrochloric acid?? How did you obtain it? Contact your fire department. They may have a good answer for you.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Muriatic acid is hyrdochloric acid. What does the MSDS sheet say?


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

You could just neutralize it and make it inert. 

https://sciencing.com/use-baking-soda-neutralize-hcl-8591741.html


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Always keep a box of baking soda on hand when using any acids for cleaning.

It is natures base that neutralizes acids.

Battery, plumbers, cleaners, all caustic acids.


ED


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## BIG Johnson (Apr 9, 2017)

47_47 said:


> Muriatic acid is hyrdochloric acid. What does the MSDS sheet say?


Heavily diluted. I'm guessing the hydrochloric OP used is 99% or so.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

BIG Johnson said:


> Heavily diluted. I'm guessing the hydrochloric OP used is 99% or so.


OP didn't state the concentration of the hydrochloric acid. I would almost bet his acid is more concentrated than muriatic, but don't know. That's why I asked what the MSDS sheet said.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Call your local city garbage collection facility. Around here, they have a drop off for household hazardous waste. Doubt they would take it in an open bucket -- would have to pour it into a sealed container (such as an old bleach bottle) and put a label on it.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

> I'm guessing the hydrochloric OP used is 99% or so.


If someone is talking about 99% hydrochloric acid, they are talking about purity, not strength or percent by weight. 

99% Hydrochloric acid is generally a 37-38% solution with less than 1 percent impurities. 

99% HCL would be a gas with 1% impurities (whether H2O or other)


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## BIG Johnson (Apr 9, 2017)

Oso954 said:


> If someone is talking about 99% hydrochloric acid, they are talking about purity, not strength or percent by weight.
> 
> 99% Hydrochloric acid is generally a 37-38% solution with less than 1 percent impurities.
> 
> 99% HCL would be a gas with 1% impurities (whether H2O or other)


That must be it. Never really thought about it, Just thought the HD muriatic would be very diluted.


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## BIG Johnson (Apr 9, 2017)

SPS-1 said:


> Call your local city garbage collection facility. Around here, they have a drop off for household hazardous waste. Doubt they would take it in an open bucket -- would have to pour it into a sealed container (such as an old bleach bottle) and put a label on it.


What if you just let it evaporate? I built an airplane once and used alodine (hexavalant chromium) to treat aluminum parts and the disposal instructions said to let all the water evaporate out then dispose of the powder at a hazardous waste facility.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

I hope you have it outside?

I'm sure you've done something by now, but you could make a volcano for your kids.

https://www.thoughtco.com/color-change-chemical-volcano-demonstration-604096

But, more seriously, why couldn't it just be very diluted with hose water & poured in the ground? 5% is supposed to be okay.

https://www.fishersci.com/shop/msdsproxy?productName=SA561


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

When I was a kid, I used to wash newly bricked houses with muriatic acid. Wore glasses and gloves, but still managed to get some in my mouth (tastes like lemon) and on a couple occasions, a bit in my eyes. Was not a big deal. Invariably it would end up getting inside the gloves --- stings like a beach on any fresh cuts to the skin.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

We used it all the time to take coral off of old bottles we found while diving.

I read that restrictions don't apply on Muriatic acid.

He may have been concerned with the vapors if he was indoors.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Nik333 said:


> But, more seriously, why couldn't it just be very diluted with hose water & poured in the ground? 5% is supposed to be okay.
> 
> https://www.fishersci.com/shop/msdsproxy?productName=SA561


When diluting acid always add the acid to water, do not add the water to the acid. There will be an exothermic reaction and depending on the strength of the acid, it can cause your volcano effect.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

BIG Johnson said:


> That must be it. Never really thought about it, Just thought the HD muriatic would be very diluted.


A lot of it is in the 10-15 % range. It still a strong acid, but not as strong as higher concentrations.

When you live in pool country they often stock stronger stuff, but you still have to watch the actual concentration. They have both 15% and 31.45% muriatic acid for pools, but they don't always stock both in all stores. Here is the strong stuff. You should be able to Internet order and ship to your store/other delivery. (If you can't find it elsewhere)
http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-2x1-Gallon-Muriatic-Acid-2118-HD/100119310

37 or 38% would be about the strongest you will find anywhere. As you go above that you start getting into shorter shelf life. When you get over 40% you need special storage containers as it gets more volital. In a standard container, you 40+% solution heads rapidly towards 30-something.


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## LanterDan (Jul 3, 2006)

How much waste acid are we talking about?

If you have a community household hazardous waste collect site, that is the only method than I guarantee will be legal. My county lets residents drop stuff like this off at no cost (non-commercial use only).

If were a small amount (fraction of a gallon say) I would be very tempted to just heavily dilute it. Obviously large quantities of this material are introduced into the environment through both the masonry and pool/spa industries, so its hard for me to see any substantive environmental impacts from this, but I'm not sure that a fully legal answer.

I just checked, the muriatic acid I have is labeled 31.45%. I didn't realize lower concentrations were regularly sold. It seems the price is similar regardless of concentration?


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## sdoudera (Sep 30, 2017)

ktotess said:


> I used hydrochloric acid and water to remove concrete from my tools (in a plastic bucket) but did not know how dangerous it was and how complicated the disposal process can be--first time using it obviously. It is pretty late at night and there's not much I can do but I am scared to leave it outside overnight uncovered and I don't have a lid for it


Please be careful when handling that bucket. It would be very easy to slosh or drop it and get a splash in the face. I strongly recommend anti splash goggles. It would be a good start to get it into something with a lid or a cap and label it. 

Sent from my Lenovo YT3-850F using Tapatalk


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## XSleeper (Sep 23, 2007)

Has anyone suggested slowly neutralizing it in small amounts with a baking soda/water solution? Once it has been neutralized I would think the city sewer (or pouring it on cement to dry) would handle it.


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## jeff6146 (Dec 16, 2017)

47_47 said:


> Muriatic acid is hyrdochloric acid. What does the MSDS sheet say?



MSDS changed a while ago, it’s now MSD. do you need the chemical sheet on that? i’m a double CSHO and CSP.


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