Embittered antifreeze

['97ventureowner]

California and Oregon currently are the only two states in this country that have laws on the books which require all antifreeze sold within the state to be "embittered". This is a process where an agent is added to the antifreeze which makes it taste awful to animals and humans, especially children. Ethylene-glycol based antifeeze has a sweet taste, and smell which animals and children may be attracted to and drink and become poisioned. It only takes a few tablespoons to cause damage.
There are safer antifreezes on the market which are propylene-glycol based, but some vehicle manufacturers will void your warranty if you do not use the antifreeze they specify. These propylene-glycol based antifreezes cost more but are safer. Adding the embittering agent to ethylene-glycol antifreeze only adds a little bit to the cost of production, but it's rewards are greater. What we need to do in these states that currently do not have any laws requiring embittered coolant, is to demand it at the auto parts stores, independent garages, and dealerships. It's benefits to our children, pets, and wildlife outweigh the minimal added costs involved in production. I'm not an environmentalist, but rather a mechanic and parent who cares about our childrens' future and has witnessed the damage antifreeze can do to living things and our surroundings.

[Sluttypatton]

Simpler solution...air cooled!

I do however agree with you that it needs to be a more common option. My local auto parts store carries safer antifreeze, which I use as often as possible.

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by Sluttypatton

Simpler solution...air cooled!

I do however agree with you that it needs to be a more common option. My local auto parts store carries safer antifreeze, which I use as often as possible.

But that's not an option for a lot of newer car owners. Those antifreezes that are sold as "safer alternatives" are based on propylene glycol , which is a good substitute for the older antifreezes. New car manufacturers may not honor your warranty if you don't use the type of antifreeze THEY recommend, which tend to be the newer "long life" coolants, which are the ones that are unsafe as well. Maybe if more of us started requesting the embittered antifreeze, more places would be willing to carry it.

[MagicRat]

Originally Posted by '97ventureowner

It only takes a few tablespoons to cause damage.

Whoops, well it's curtains for me........I have had several face-fulls of anti freeze over the years.

Still, I agree. It's an excellent proposal.
The safe thing to do is not to leave antifreeze lying around, but lots of people still do not treat the hazardous fluids from a car with respect....(lots of toxic old engine oil gets disposed of imporperly, too. )

Apparently the vetrinary treatment for coolant-poisoned animals is several days hooked up to an intravenous drip of ......alcohol.....yes, they keep Fido drunk for days to save him.
Sounds like spring break, doesn't it?

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by MagicRat

Still, I agree. It's an excellent proposal.
The safe thing to do is not to leave antifreeze lying around, but lots of people still do not treat the hazardous fluids from a car with respect....(lots of toxic old engine oil gets disposed of imporperly, too. )

That reminds me of someone I knew years ago who used to dispose of his used engine oil in a vacant lot a few doors down from his house. When I questioned why he just didn't take it to any number of stores in our area that accept used oil for recycling, he replied, " Oil originally came from the ground. I'm just returning it back to it's source." He was serious. Some people can be so misinformed.I was tempted to ask him, since he had been dumping it there for many years, if he expected to erect an oil well and start pumping it back out to use again. But I didn't want to give him any ideas.