Grant Erwin wrote:

snip

Final question: assuming #2 does NOT work, and further assuming it's
bad news to dump TSP into the sewer, is there any easy cheap way to
neutralize the TSP and make it less environmentally harmful? My
neighbor, no dummy, suggests using it as fertilizer. Does that make
any sense?

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington


Hi Grant,

I can't answer the first part of your post, far too long since I had
chemistry classes as well.

TSP alone is just fine as a fertilizer. It's the same stuff that used
to be in laundry detergents. It was banned in that application because
of the algae blooms it caused once the treated waste hit the rivers and
lakes. Remeber "Phosphate Free" stickers? It's just the "P" of the KNP
rating for fertilizer.

The only concern is what else is in the solution. I cook down the TSP
solution used for stripping old tools (likely lead based paint) and put
the sludge in a sealed can with kitty litter. It can then be turned in
at the local landfill just like old lead based paints, in the hazardous
waste disposal area for home owners. If the solution has a fair bit of
oil in it you may want to do the same thing, sort of hard to grow grass
over an oil spill :-(

Cheers,
Stan