Evening star., 1928-11-18


industry using everything In the pig
but the sQueal' bids fair to have its
parallel in the motor world and, Incl
dentally, solve problem of admitted
gravity-the disposal of crank-case
DRAWINGS. which only too often are
allowed to find their way into city
sewerage systems. constituting men,
ace to life and property.
While every safeguard is thrown
about the handling of generally recog-
nized explosives or inf1ammableS, in
Guiding rigid legal restrictions. rela-
lively little attention has been paid to
the destructive potentialities of the
mixture of oil and gasoline which the
crank case of an automobile gives forth
when the oil is changed, until now
every city of any size is confronted
with the problem of disposal.
This is true not only in this country,
but to lesser degree in Europe. also,
and the situation is one that daily be-
comes more serious as the use of au-
tomobiles grows swiftly.
Just exactly what it means has been
made clear in survey just completed
by the sewer department of the District
OF Columbia and made public during
the past week by j. B. Gordon, sanitary
engineer.
Taking up the question with half
hundred municipalities in the United
States, Canada and Europe through
ouestionnaires, Mr.. Gordon developed,
first. that every one has begun to give
it serious though and is desirous of ar
irving at some workable solution: and
secondly, that right now the re-ref1ning
of this waste product for reuse looms as
the plan that gives every promise of be-
iug the SOught-for answer.
Test Results Stressed.
OF paramount Importance in this
connection is the result of tests made
b. the Bureau Of Standard, which
demonstrates clearly that this re-refin-
ing and reuse are wholly feasible. Re-
mains then the plan for reconversion
and Gordon believes this can be worked
out by private initiative
The idea for reuse is not new but
It has not been a general practice
Now, however, with the local survey in
dicating that in the long run it offers
solution that not only is satisfactory
from the disposal standpoint, but also
means saving in money, it is believed
that new impetus will be given it.
Mr.. Gordon is giving general circula-
ton to the results of the survey, acting
in response to the demand from those
whose views he solicited, and who in
turn, asked for digest of the findings.
For this reason the report is expected
to get more than the ordinary amount
of study.
And faint idea of what the recla-
nation plan universally adopted would
mean is gained from Gordon's estimate
that more than 100000 gallons of waste
Oil yearly would he available for COL
lection for re-reining in this city alone
The local survey was conducted, and
the report prepared by Bruner E. Lundy
Of the sewer department. under the
supervision Of Hermon Garner. assist
ant engineer and was prompted. it is
explained, because of continual instances
Of crank case DRAWINGS finding their
'ray into the sewer system here.
Menace Pointed Out.
Pointing to the menace of such
situation. the report saws: 1t has been
ascertained that such DRAWINGS usually
contain gasoline in an amount sufficient
10 Vaporize in the sewer when coming
in contact with hot waste from laun-
dries, hotels, etc, thereby creating a
combuStible gas capable of readily
resulting in explosions or fires 1t was
also determined that the gas thus Gre
ated, being heavier than the warm air
inside the sewers. does not readily
escape from air vents, and the only So
luton therefore was the exclusion Of
this dangerous matter from the sewers
The report concludes, however, that
prohibitory regulation fails because it
must rely too much on public CO.
operation, and it points to another fall
down where the regulations provide for
garages maintaining intercepting traps.
saying if only oil is placed in a trap OF
any known design, and which is con-
nected with the sewerage system, this
oil naturally will flow into the sewers.
That these restrictions do fail of their
purpose is evidenced by figures.
For instance, of those cities canvaSsed.
70 per cent prohibit the disposal Of
waste in oil in sewers and rs per cent
do not. The other 5 per cent did not
report In IS per cent the installation
Of intercepting garage traps is required
Then, in the face of this. 65 per cent
of these cities reported trouble from the
very source against which it was at
tempted to guarc-preSence of oil n
sewerS-and 33 per cent reported trou-
BILE from fires or explosions.
The story in this connection is just
about summed up in the reply to the
QUESTIONABLE from Milwaukee
The city has some general ordinances
which prevent the owners of property
from QiSCUdESlIlS O1I NdoLC lIltO IAAC
sewer system, but these ordinances are
unenforceable.
And the potential danger from such
situation comes to light, for example
from Seattle, where investigation dis
closed gasoline vapor in more than 100
places in many of which it appeared in
dangerous quantities
Some cities have attempted to meet
the disposal problem by pouring this
refuse oil on dumps, but elSewhere-the
District, for eXample-thiS is prohibited,
and various other eXpedientS and these
with economic value, have been adopt
ed The range of these is interesting,
illustrating as it does the widespread
effort under way to cope with the Sit
uation.
The oil has been used to burn city
garbage, in the manufacture of paint,
for oiling concrete forms, for fuel oil.
in determination of mosquitoes, for OIL
ing the surface of roads and finally it
h3s been re-reflned. Among the pio-
nee"s III this last-named scheme are the
thrifty French. And 1t is worthy Of
note that elsewhere in Europe the sub
iccL is being studied against the day
when it VIII become an acute issue.
As to Application Locally.
With regard to the application of the
reclamation plan locally the report has
this to say:
Recent activity in the District of
Columbia on the part of some of the
larger motor transportation companies