Recycling range lead

[crabo]

I have the opportunity to buy a bunch of a lead/rubber/pea garvel mix that was taken out of an indoor range. I can buy it for $80 or less per 55 gallon drum. I am thinking less because this was his first offer.

Am I polluting the water supply if I pour the material out into a trailer and then go to the car wash and wash it down to get rid of a lot of the dust. (yes I know I have to be careful of the water when I smelt it)

Do I have hazardous waste when I skim the rubber, pea gravel, and copper jackets out of the melt? How do I dispose of this? He does not want the gravel back.

Has anyone researched this?

Thanks,

Crabo

[imashooter2]

I get indoor range scrap that has lots of rubber and paper trash in it, but not gravel. It takes a lot more gas to smelt than WW do. $50 seems OK if that is all he's willing to pay you to take it away. Unless I was desperate for lead, I wouldn't pay him for it. I'd rather go down to the scrap yard and get WW.

The rubber will melt and burn off with huge flame and mucho thick black smoke. The jackets and gravel will float and you will have to stir it to get all the fine lead out of that layer. I use a standard garden shovel for the job. I don't know if it would be considered hazardous waste or not. I've never asked.

When I smelt mine, I turn it into a wheel barrow and shovel it into the pot with that same garden shovel. It gives me a last chance to look it over for a dud .22 and if I should miss one, at least I'm not standing right over the pot. Good luck!

[mooman76]

I wouldn't pay much if anything. I've gotten that mix before and it's allot of work to go through. It is worth it if you have the time but chances are he will have to pay to get rid of the mix because of the lead contamination!