CAR CARE FACTS

Maintaining Your Car

Recycle used motor oil. Avoid pouring waste oil into gutters or down storm drains. Resist the temptation to dump wastes onto the ground. A single quart of motor oil that seeps into groundwater can pollute 250,000 gallons of drinking water. If you don’t have a place to recycle used motor oil in your community, ask your local sanitation or public works department to create one.* When you buy motor oil, ask if the store or service station has a program to buy back waste oil and dispose of it properly. Keep up with car maintenance to reduce leaking of oil, coolant, antifreeze, and other hazardous fluids.

Be "green" when washing your car. Hand-wash your car on the lawn with a bucket of soapy water, rags, and hose. The grass and soil will absorb and filter the water.  Just turning off the hose after rinsing can save up to 150 gallons. Or, if you don’t want to do it yourself, choose a car wash that recycles its water.