Beesource Beekeeping Forums banner

Wax disposal

13K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  Ian 
#1 ·
I'm in the process of building a new honey house and am wondering what the rest of you do with wax on the floor that gets washed down the drain. Our county health official that's over water handling says it won't be a problem putting it in the septic tank as long as I pump it every couple of years. Another beekeeper told me from experience that will not work. In a septic system the wax will go through the tank and get into the leach lines and in 5 years I'll be digging the whole system up. I tend to believe the beekeeper. Right now he's on the city system so it's not an issue for him anymore. I really have no example to follow. Any suggestions? Thanx.
 
#2 ·
In my small honey house I just hose until the residue gets near the floor drain and then sweep it up for the solar melter. Maybe you could put in a sump or screen to catch it.
 
#4 ·
Rob,

Here a pic of my drain, the orange grate.

http://s148.photobucket.com/albums/s35/CNHoney/?action=view&current=100_1754.jpg

My shop is 110 feet long, the drain is 80 feet long, I put 1.5% slope from the ends & sides so that any where in the shop it would drain.

I have a 6'' pipe underneath the shop floor that runs out to a ditch. If you can make your shop two feet higher than the sub grade, that way everything runs away from your shop.

PS, now is the time to spend money, it will save you down the road.
Keith
 
#5 ·
I personally would install a gray water holding tank from your honey house if all you have are sinks and drain. Two reasons....you can use the water to water for watering or other not fresh water needs and second if you get a build up of wax it is easy to drain and clean out.
 
#9 ·
In our honey house we have a 2' x 2' x 2' grated cement pit. The drain pipe is located about half way down with a 90 degree elbow pointed down. The dirt and other heavy sediment settles to the bottom below the opening of the elbow. The wax floats on top and does not make it into the drain pipe because the opening of the elbow is about 1' below the water line. Periodically we pull the grate off and clean everything out. The wax goes into a barrel for rendering and the sediment goes in the trash. As long as we are processing and washing down everyday, the water never gets sour.
 
#11 ·
"My shop is 110 feet long, the drain is 80 feet long, I put 1.5% slope from the ends & sides so that any where in the shop it would drain."

Keith, I'm definately planning those big trough drains like you have with grating over them. We use the same thing on our dairy. The only concern I have on a 1.5% slope is stacking supers up 16 feet tall. I'm still trying to decide wheather I should slope the whole floor or leave out my comb bank area.

"A properly functioning septic system shouldn't let anything that floats go to the leach field..."

dross, yes, but after a while the wax will build up to the point where it's deeper than the baffle and will get into the leach field.

I really appreciate all (or almost all) of the great ideas and advice. Thank you so much.
 
#13 ·
>>but after a while the wax will build up to the point where it's deeper than the baffle and will get into the leach field.


Ya, thats one point the fellow hasnt considered. Wax tends to float, not like a two year clean out would prevent the wax from overflowing into your leach field.

Considering your on a farm, why not install a septic tank, with a pump out spicket? What doesnt get pumped out will get cleaned out later on.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top