How do I get rid of used white spirit?

[IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads]

Did some decorating at the weekend. What do I do with the mucky white spirit?
I can't throw it down the drain. It's currently in a pop bottle. What do I do with that?

Will they take it at the local dump/recycling centre?

Yes, local council tip, clearly labelled. But I will shout,!!! NEVER PUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN DRINK,IN A DRINK BOTTLE! I worked in the ED for 5 years, and apparently drank white spirit as a child and nearly died!!

Not locally @NotbloodyGivingupYet . I'd have to drive about 10 miles for that. Seems a OTT, but it may have to come to that.

I put in a bottle, let it settle and all the paint etc. gradually sinks to the bottom and more or less sets, After about a week I carefully pour the clean stuff back into the original container and a throw away the bottle (with the solidified residue).

Don't know if I should be doing this - but I do.

Be careful using 'pop bottles' as children may drink it...

I once drank a pint of Milton I'd made up in a pint glass....

I'll look for a different bottle.

Evaporate it. Do this outside and somewhere children or animals can’t get to it.

This says for unused but I expect it’ll also work for used white spirit (you’ll just be left with some paint in the bottom of the container)

www.dundeecity.gov.uk/service-area/neighbourhood-services/environment/a-z-recycling-guide/turpentine-white-spirit#:~:text=For%20small%20amounts%20of%20turpentine,animals%20if%20following%20this%20approach.

@HighHeelsOnCobblestones
I like that!!! Ironically I have just massively taped up the lid, but shall undo it.

I mean if you "evaporate it" isn't it all just ending up in the water system anyway ?

I mean you may as well just dilute it and pour it down the drain.

It's still going to end up in the rivers/sea as part of the hydrological cycle.

Yes, also used to do this.

You leave it at the back of a shelf in your shed for many years, then you move house and leave it for the new homeowner to deal with it. 🙄

White spirit isn't water soluble so it won't dissolve in raindrops. But even if it did it would be so hugely diluted as not to be a hazard. Volatile organic compounds such as white spirit are quickly broken down by UV light in the atmosphere. In high local concentrations these can contribute to photochemical smog but this isn't going to be an issue for disposal of small quantities of VOCs.

Our council has a kerbside collection for 'toxic' items like white spirit/paints/adhesives which you can book online. You might want to check if yours does. It's a bit of a pfaff because you have to specify what you are packaging up for collection, box it up, and they won't take the box if the contents don't tally with their booking info (so no last minute additions). But it's a good way of clearing the garage/shed/cellar of all those crappy unused tins and bottles lurking there. (We inherited some from our vendors as well as creating our own). Split with neighbours if you only have a couple of items?

But it will be hugely diluted if it goes into the sewage system as well.

Whether you put it into the air or put it into the sewage system you are effectively dispersing it in the environment and hoping that enough dispertion doesn't take place to cause issues.

I've moved 4 times. Every single time I have been left bottles of questionable things and old paint in the shed !!!

I either tip in on to the rubble pile i usually have somewhere or just empty it into the bin. It just soaks into everything in there.

White spirits is immiscible in water so it doesn't dilute - it forms a film on the top which can quickly cover the surface of a stream and severely affect the wildlife there. Of course it will eventually evaporate (unlike heavier oils).

We are on a septic tank so it would be an absolute no-no - it would kill all the good bacteria in the tank and end up soaking out into the field where the soakaway is. The same happens with mains sewage systems - ok, the odd small amount isn't going to be a problem, but if everyone thinks it's fine to tip chemicals down the drain then the sewage works is going to have a problem. And tipping it into a storm drain is even worse as that just ends up in the nearest stream or river completely untreated.