Disposing of Scrap Pumps & Dispensers
If you are dealing with used gas pumps that have no value, you should be aware that there are pollution issues to be considered in connection with their disposal. Your company can incur major financial penalties and even criminal liability if your old pumps are improperly disposed of ---- even if you gave them to another company that promised to do the job right! Almost everyone in our industry will sooner or later encounter the problem of how to safely and efficiently dispose of old pumps. Local and state environmental regulations vary widely, so check the regulatory laws in your area, but here are some general areas that need consideration:

Batteries and Fluorescent Bulbs

All newer model pumps have lead-acid or nickel-cadmium back-up batteries and many are lit with fluorescent bulbs. Most local authorities will require that these components be removed and recycled by licensed specialty companies before the pump can be scrapped.

Hydraulic Assemblies

At the very least, the hoses, nozzles and fuel filters will have to be removed before the pump is scrapped. In some localities the fuel filters must be dried and crushed before they can be separately landfilled. The residual fuels removed from the hydraulic assemblies, require special handling too. Common disposal techniques are to either send it to a licensed hazardous waste disposal company (expensive) or send it to a company that re-refines petroleum waste products.

Metal Salvage vs. Landfill

We send all of our scrap pump carcasses to a salvage company that shreds the pumps and magnetically sorts the metal --- the same process often used for scrapped cars. If you have enough carcasses to fill a dumpster you will probably get paid enough for the metal to cover the cost of hauling it. If you only have a few pumps, you’ll probably want to go the landfill route. Before scrapping we also strip the major stainless steel panels (only non-magnetic stainless like the commonly used type 304 have much value) and sell that separately for about 20¢ a pound to help cover other disposal costs.

Disposal Contractor Selection

When selecting a contractor to haul any waste from your property you should ask lots of questions. What, specifically, do they do with it? Do their haulers and disposal methods comply with state/local regulations? Are they licensed by some regulatory authority? Are they willing to put all this in writing? Will they let you visit their disposal facilities?

Record Keeping

For any hazardous waste the hauler must sign a loading manifest that describes precisely what was picked up and when. In addition, you should get and keep on file receipts for any other waste products that leave your property. No matter where you operate your business, you’ll be glad you have these documents if there’s ever any question about what ultimately happened to something you disposed of.

Valuable Parts and Assemblies

Even though you intend to scrap a pump, some models have parts or assemblies that should be stripped for re-use. For example, some electronic boards are interchangeable with boards in newer equipment and therefore have value as cores for board rebuilders. Similarly, some mechanical parts and subassemblies are no longer available from the OEMs and hence have value to pump rebuilders or maintenance companies. If you’d like some advice on your particular situation, please give us a call. We might even be a buyer for some items.

Summary

Even after you’ve turned a waste product over to another party and it leaves your property, you’re still responsible for its proper disposal according to current EPA law. An improperly scrapped gas pump can be traced by its serial numbers and come back to haunt you. But you should be able to stay out of trouble by doing the right thing, asking the right questions of disposal contractors, and keeping good records.