Have you had your Pit mud tested?

[scout]

Here in ILL the only other choice than septic tank companies would be to have pit mud tested then put in dumpster or hauled to where construction material is dumped.

How would you do this and at what cost?

 

[Earl Weiss]

From what I recall if it's soaking wet it's "Special Waste" (different than hazardous waste.) and regular trash haulers aren't supposed to take it.

If you let it dry I don't believe it is special any longer and you can pretty much do whatever you want with it unless it contains something hazardous and I don't think you have to establish a negative.

 

[robert roman]

Cost to have sludge tested is usually $200 to $300 and most solid waste departments require dewatering before dumping.

 

[rph9168]

We used to either haul it to the dump or sometimes we had local farmers take it. Either way we never had it tested.

 

[Overachiever]

I'm in IL (Rockford). I called the rockford waste company and they told me I was able to put the mud in the dumpster as long as I dried it out first.

That being said I've been trying to dry my mud in the corner of the parking lot near the dumpster and apparently a neighbor called the EPA saying it smelled and they were over there looking at it this morning. Neighbors house is pretty far away and I can't smell it so hopefully nothing comes of it.

 

[Eric H]

I'm in IL (Rockford). I called the rockford waste company and they told me I was able to put the mud in the dumpster as long as I dried it out first.

That being said I've been trying to dry my mud in the corner of the parking lot near the dumpster and apparently a neighbor called the EPA saying it smelled and they were over there looking at it this morning. Neighbors house is pretty far away and I can't smell it so hopefully nothing comes of it.

Please keep us posted on the outcome of this. I've never been able to get a definative answer about where to dispose of pit mud. The old " New York State classifies it the same as road sweepings" bit never set right with me. I'm not in NY so that ruling clearly does not apply to me. MassDEP couldn't give me an answer, nor could any of the area veterans except to say "It hasn't been a problem yet." No one ever wants to have a real discussion on it or provide any documentation about what the "right way" could possibly be.

 

[rph9168]

I would guess that since you were drying it out and not disposing of it you are probably okay. When we had a gas leak at our gas pumps the EPA made us dig a trench and let it evaporate before we could fill it back up again so I am guessing if you had put it their to dry out you should not have a problem.

 

[Overachiever]

I've been able to get a hold of the EPA and they said the mud just needs to be dried on an impermeable surface and the water that drains out of it can't go into a sewer drain.

I guess a small amount of water was streaming out of the mud and going toward the closest sewer drain so I broke the rules there.

They suggested that I absorb the water as it leaves the mud pile or find a way to pool the mud. Anyone do something similar?

The city also came by yesterday, maybe to address the smell issue, so hopefully they don't tell me my mud can't stink

 

[Stuart]

Here in the Midwest the pit mud can go to the city dump when it can pass the paint strainer test (can be wet but not overly saturated that water drains out of strainer). Our mud is tested by an independent lab to make sure no heavy metals, excessive oil byproducts etc. We pay a hauler to take away and the hauler deposits on their land as long as the labs are ok.

We have also filled the mud pit with concrete to about 12" from grate. Then we scooped out the mud, put into a wheelbarrow, after the water settles to the top we poured the water out and shoveled the mud into the dumpster.