How do I neutralize muriatic acid so that I don't have to store it?

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LivinMyBestLife

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May 2, 2021
17
Burlington, MA
Hi all,
I have an almost full gallon of 20% Baume muriatic acid that I want to get rid of. I don't have a safe place to store it, and if I leave it outside it will be buried in snow this winter (I'm in MA). I'm also worried my kids will find it. Can I neutralize it with Baking Soda? Can anyone give me directions as to how much baking soda I would need and how exactly to neutralize it? Do I pour the acid right into a bucket of baking soda, or dissolve the baking soda in water first, then add acid? I assume once it is done fizzing it would be safe to dump down the storm drain? There is no available hazardous waste disposal here until Spring. Thanks!!
 
It’s really not a good idea to do that on your own. It will likely bubble so vigorously that it will splash and cause damage.

There’s no reason to get rid of it. It lasts forever (well almost) and it will not freeze. The freezing point of 20 Baumé MA is like -46C. You can safely store it outside under a 5 gallon bucket. Just tell the kids, if they’re the type that will listen, to not mess around with it.
 
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But, if you must get rid of it, then the only proper way is to check with your city if they have a hazardous household waste drop off OR pay a hazardous waste station to take it.
 
Is it just that you don't need it over winter? I assume you'll need more next summer?

You could store your acid in something like that (that's Aussie, sure something similar exists in the US):

www.bunnings.com.au

Ezy Storage Bunker Heavy Duty Storage Tub - 35L

Find Ezy Storage Bunker Heavy Duty Storage Tub - 35L at Bunnings. Visit your local store for the widest range of products.
www.bunnings.com.au www.bunnings.com.au

They can be locked with padlocks, should be enough to keep the contents out of kids' reach.
 
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Of course, this was a few decades back, but for our caustic soda tank and for our muriatic tank, the local jurisdiction's only requirement to dump in city sewer was to that we had neutralize, bring pH to near neutral. If you wanted to neutralize it though, it would have to be done in diluted form for safety, don't add soda to straight MA, and that might leave you with more to get rid of unless could dump.
 
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I think the safest way to get rid of MA, if really required, is via the pool. Raise TA with baking soda, let pH rise by outgassing, then add MA, repeat. Use PoolMath's effects of adding to estimate how much TA gets reduced by adding acid, that should allow proper compensation with baking soda (also with PoolMath).
 
mgtfp said:
I think the safest way to get rid of MA, if really required, is via the pool. Raise TA with baking soda, let pH rise by outgassing, then add MA, repeat. Use PoolMath's effects of adding to estimate how much TA gets reduced by adding acid, that should allow proper compensation with baking soda (also with PoolMath).
Click to expand...
(y)
 
In 30,000 gallons of pool water, 1 gallon of MA reduces the TA by 17ppm. It takes 7 lbs of baking soda to raise the TA by 17ppm.

Therefore, you could add 3.5lbs of baking soda to the pool and brush to mix. Give the water 30mins to circulate then slowly add half the gallon of acid. Leave the pump running and brush a couple of times. Then, the next day, repeat. The net effect should be very slight change in pH and a minor increase in salt.
 
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