Ive a bit of a google but come up a bit stumped so thought id open this up to the hive mind.

I’ve recently purchased a house (in manchester if that makes a difference) and while cutting back the over grown garden at the back behind a shed I’ve found two unlabled oil barrels that from there weight and sound appear full

from speaking to the neighbours the previous but one tenant was a bit of an amateur mechanic so we are guessing that its waste engine oil in them (there were also 2 small plastic containers that also contained what appears to be waste motor oil. they will have been there 5+ years so I’m not sure if theres any dangers associated with opening them to check whats in them.

any one have any idea whats the easiest, safest and cheapest way to dispose of them

I’d be most worried about them rusting, perforating and contaminating all the soil around them.

If they look reasonably sound then taking the lid off (wear gloves, glasses and decent mask) and take a sample out.

If it looks like engine oil ask a local garage who takes their old oil away and contact them?

It’s bonfire night, you have to ask?

Bodies.

First call I’d make would be to the council. An environmental or waste management team might help if you explain to them and they are in a good mood.

Can you get the previous owner to remove them?
If they weren’t in the inventory then you don’t own them.

Don’t open the drums, there may be a pickled zombie in each one!

It will be bodies in acid for sure.

First call I’d make would be to the council. An environmental or waste management team might help if you explain to them and they are in a good mood.

I would also be chasing the previous owner – did your house buying contract state they were leaving such items?

I remember a episode of ” fools and horses” where delboy had to clear his allotment ?? 😀

Never did find out where they dumped them??…lol

Chances are the previous owner would ignore it so without resorting to legal action (expensive, timeconsuming and uncertain outcome) you’ll be better just doing it yourself. Council or local garage depending what’s actually in the barrels.

Unless it turned out to be something really hard to get rid of in which case the previous owner might become a more attractive option again.

I used to dream about taking some of the crap we found in our house back to the previous owners and getting some money back. In particular I spent sodding ages hefting a load of massive, heavy MDF boards they’d put in the loft to the tip, all the while thinking “I *paid* for these. Bah!”

nemesis – Member
Chances are the previous owner would ignore it so without resorting to legal action (expensive, timeconsuming and uncertain outcome) you’ll be better just doing it yourself. Council or local garage depending what’s actually in the barrels.

I agree with this, unless you have a forwarding address for the previous owner. In which case organise for their property to be returned to them.

I very nearly did this with a manky washing machine left in a house I bought (not on the fixtures and fittings list), but realised I could get someone to remove it for me by advertising it on gumtree as untested for free

Have you seen Return of the Living Dead? That’s your back garden that is…. 🙂

I would be very careful trying to remove the drums if they’ve been in the garden for so long. Most likely the bottoms have started to rust away and could break if you try lifting them out. May be safer to have them siphoned off into a new drum

I found a load of old fence posts and slats behind the shed when I moved in about 6 weeks ago, have already begun to turn them into jumps and ramps for the kids!

I’d definitely go back to your solicitor, waste oil needs to be properly disposed of. Whether you get money out of the previous owners or not I don’t know, might not be worth pursuing. Council are your first stop.

anonymous tip of to the police saying there are a couple of bodies hidden in barrels in the garden of your house. job done.

(joke btw….i wouldn’t condone wasting police time)

I remember a episode of ” fools and horses” where delboy had to clear his allotment ??

“but you said the tip was open 24 hours?”

“it is. But not at night.”

dons professional hat

only one sensible answer – phone Local Authority and or Environment Agency. Could contain anything from harmless fluids to nasty waste and if you tamper with them you could be considered liable to taking some responsibility for any impacts from them.

removes professional hat

…or just all of the above, many of which appear much more interesting 🙂

Ever seen Dexter…

Put a overseas address on them (printed label)to a charity for children, wishing them a happy xmas and leave them in your front garden. They will be nicked by morning

It will be bodies in acid for sure.

Not if they are metal drums…..obviously not seen Breaking Bad ?

My local garage burns the waste oil for winter heating .

Not worth the hassle of chasing people etc etc. Most local tips take old engine oil, stick them in your car and tip them at the local tip. Take an hour to do, you’ll spend longer contacting the council and being on hold/passed from department to department.

Most local tips take old engine oil, stick them in your car and tip them at the local tip

I doubt he’ll manage to wrestle two 45 gallon oil drums into the back of his car 😉

stick them in your car and tip them at the local tip.

The last thing I’d be doing would be attempting to get them into a car. Aside from the almost 100% guarantee of putting your back out, you have no idea what they are or what condition the barrels are in. 90 gallons of potentially toxic chemical spilt in your motor will write it off. If they really, really needed moving quick sharp then hire of a barrel trolley and a tail-lift flatbed would be the safest way.

long job siphoning it off into old plastic milk bottles then…

stick them in your car

Good luck with that! Syphoning them out into smaller barrels and doing several journeys to the tip would be the more realistic DIY option, however. Waste oil disposal is not a big issue, as it does actually have a (low) monetary value. Depends how happy you are to get your hands dirty. And zombies, obviously

Do you sleep with a chainsaw by your bed 😯

two 45 gallon oil drums

almost 100% guarantee of putting your back out

Where did the 45 gallon measurement come from? If they are then yes split to a manageable size. However with ‘STW over exaggeration factor’I had assumed 25l. Either way I’d still do as I suggested, either split or as is.

And now I’m arguing on the Internet. Someone shoot me.

Semantics, old bean. Semantics.

25L would be a keg. Barrel would be 205L = 45 gallons. OP said “2 barrels”.

Get a shifter, open the lid and dip it.

Black is oil, water may have antifreeze (glycol) in.

Council usually take oil at the tip, they do round here, glycol will be far trickier and will most likely involve a special handler. As said it can be decanted into smaller loads, you would need a barrel pump though. Glycol can be tested for, if none you can just tip it out. Oil should be easy enough to get someone to shift for nothing provided there is enough of it.

Likelihood of other unidentified waste? Not much.

Buy one of those cheap VW diesels with a WW2 tank engine and a defeat device

– presumably they’ll burn anything