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U.S. Towns Weigh Up Car Wash Ban
December 28, 2007 12:02 AM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
Around the country, local officials consider a ban on car washes, hoping to prevent pollution from soap and other residue making its way from storm drains into nearby streams and rivers.
30-Second Summary
The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a number of cities where officials are losing patience with residents wasting water to maintain the gleam on their automobiles.
Even fundraisers are coming under fire. In Santa Monica, Calif., a city proposal describes charity car washes as “one of the biggest water wasters and pollution-generating events of this type.”
The runoff containing soapy water and scum from cleaning an automobile often makes its way through drains into lakes, rivers and streams.
Some environmentally conscious car owners are turning to waterless car wash products, such as the detergent made by mom-and-pop manufacturers Lucky Earth Products.
According to Lucky Earth’s Web site, a typical car wash “uses between 20 to 45 gallons of water per car.” To reduce this wastage, it came up with Green Earth Car Wash, which applies a water-based, eco-friendly cleaner from a spray bottle.
Another way of combating the pollutant runoff from car washes is recommended by the Mass Department of Environmental Protection, which suggests that car owners should wash their vehicles on gravel or lawn, rather than the driveway, to prevent the water running into storm drains.
Even fundraisers are coming under fire. In Santa Monica, Calif., a city proposal describes charity car washes as “one of the biggest water wasters and pollution-generating events of this type.”
The runoff containing soapy water and scum from cleaning an automobile often makes its way through drains into lakes, rivers and streams.
Some environmentally conscious car owners are turning to waterless car wash products, such as the detergent made by mom-and-pop manufacturers Lucky Earth Products.
According to Lucky Earth’s Web site, a typical car wash “uses between 20 to 45 gallons of water per car.” To reduce this wastage, it came up with Green Earth Car Wash, which applies a water-based, eco-friendly cleaner from a spray bottle.
Another way of combating the pollutant runoff from car washes is recommended by the Mass Department of Environmental Protection, which suggests that car owners should wash their vehicles on gravel or lawn, rather than the driveway, to prevent the water running into storm drains.
Headline Link: Car wash ban
Many towns around the country, notably several on the West coast, are considering a ban on car washes in the hope of cutting down on water pollution. According to Mark Thorsby, the executive director of the International Carwash Association, these bans are only the beginning: “Without a doubt, this is not going to be just a West Coast trend but a national one.”
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Opinion & Analysis: Environmental concerns
Blue Egg, a Web site dedicated to sustainable living, explains that “washing the car in your driveway is the same as filling a giant barrel with soapy water and kicking it over on the sidewalk.” The site offers many tips on how and where you can get a waterless car wash.
Source: Blue Egg
Related Links: Puget Sound Car Wash Association; Green Earth Waterless Carwashes
The Puget Sound Car Wash Association urges organizations to consult the association when considering a car wash as a fundraising event. The group sells tickets to environmentally safe car wash sites.
Source: Charity Car Wash
According to the makers of Green Earth Waterless Carwash, a typical car wash “uses between 20 to 45 gallons of water per car. A home wash can use between 80 and 140 gallons.” The site asserts that Green Earth Waterless Carwash cleans all solid surfaces of a car and works by using water-based, natural and environmentally friendly cleaner, from which you can get about 7 to 10 car washes per bottle.
Source: Green Earth Car Wash
Reference Material: Combating car wash pollution
The site for King County, Washington, provides information on car wash kits and advocates that people use them to keep pollution out of Puget Sound. Car Wash kits prevent dirty water from entering streams by redirecting the water away from the storm drain and to a water treatment plant.
Source: King County Web site
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protections recommends that car owners wash their car on gravel or on the grass, where the water will not run into storm drains and from there into fresh running water.
Source: The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protections
The City Government of Freemont California offers tips on how to reduce water pollution and lists the requirements for car wash fundraisers. Freemont requires that its residents reserve and use a Car Wash Pollution Prevention Kit.
Source: The City Government of Freemont California
In countries around the world, runoff from car washes is a problem. According to the Department of Environment and Climate Change of Australia, any pollutants that arrive in lakes, rivers, harbors and oceans by way of storm drains “is a breach of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 and may result in a $750 fine for individuals or a $1,500 fine for corporations.” The site estimates that if 3.2 million vehicles are washed once a month over 1,500 million liters of polluted water could enter the storm water system every year.
Source: Department of Environment and Climate Change of Australia
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