Uh Oh Oil
We’ve all heard that oil and water don’t mix. How about oil and the environment? Nope! Oil and other used automotive fluids (UAFs) are extremely damaging to fresh water habitats and the plants and animals that make their homes there. When oil from vehicles or other sources enters the waterways, it is very time, money, and energy-consuming to clean up. Because oil does not dissolve in water, it can remain in and around waterways for a very long time. Oil in water is carried downstream from the source, affecting all habitats it encounters and may eventually make its way to the ocean.
Don’t Drip and Drive
Most oil pollution comes from leaky cars, not spills. Oil dripped on driveways, parking lots, and roads is carried by rain water down storm drains, which lead directly into local waterways, not a treatment facility. According to the Smithsonian Institution, 363 million gallons of oil make it into storm drains and waterways each year. That’s more than major oil spills, routine maintenance, offshore drilling, natural seeps, and oil burning combined! Click here to read more about this breakdown from the Smithsonian Institution.
Cars aren’t the only culprits for oil leaks. Drippy machinery can include lawn mowers, motorcycles, boats, tractors, ATVs, weed eaters… anything that holds oil! It’s important to check your equipment for leaks and fix the ones you find.
Oil + the Environment = 🙁
Oil in waterways wreaks havoc for the environment and wildlife that inhabits it. Bird that ingest oil risk internal damage, disease, and death. Exposure to oil can cause birds to lose the ability to fly, keep warm, dive for food, or float on the water. Fish can take in oil through their gills, making it difficult to breathe. Adult fish may experience physical and physiological abnormalities and may have lowered reproductive success. Many aquatic animals suffer similar fates when dealing with oil pollution.
In addition to animals, plants and habitats are harmed as well. Aquatic plants are a major food source for many animal species. When plants become oily and contaminated, the animals that eat them are put at risk. It is also more difficult for plants to efficiently photosynthesize and develop healthily. Habitat damage from oil pollution is a long-term consequence. Used oil can contain heavy metals and other pollutants, which compromise the health of humans and wildlife. These contaminants can become trapped in and under sediments and have been detected in sediments over 30 years after a spill (according to U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service). It can also wash on shore, harming bank-dwelling plants and animals.
By the Numbers
- It only takes one pint of oil to cause an oil slick over an acre of water. Most cars hold enough motor oil to produce an eight acre oil slick. That means it would only take the oil from 4.5 cars to cover Pinnacle Lake at Table Rock State Park!
- One quart of oil can contaminate over 250,000 gallons of clean drinking water. That’s 4 million glasses of water!
- If all of the oil from American do-it-yourself oil changers was recycled, it would be enough motor oil for more than 50 million cars per year. That’s nearly 20% of all cars owned in the United States!
- 1 gallon of recycled motor oil provides the same 2.5 quarts of lubricating oil as 42 gallons of crude oil.
- According to the American Petroleum Institute, recycling just two gallons of used oil can generate enough electricity to run the average household for almost 24 hours.
- Americans spill 180 million gallons of used oil each year from unchecked machinery, like cars, boats, or lawnmowers. This is 16x the amount spilled by Exxon Valdez in Alaska!
Eco-Friendly Oil Changes
Calling all do-it-yourself oil changers! Follow these tips for a pollution-free experience:
- Use drip pans and drop cloths to catch any stray drops or spills.
- Use kitty litter to clean up spills. Simply pour it over the spill, let it clump, sweep it up, and throw it away.
- Never store used oil in a container that once held chemicals, food, or beverages. Keep used oil separate from other materials including other used automotive fluids.
- Take used motor oil to a service station or other location that collects used motor oil for recycling. This map identifies locations that accept used motor oil. Note: this may be an incomplete list.
Brake Fluid, Transmission Fluid, and Antifreeze… Oh My!
When you think auto fluid pollution, do you just think oil? Or do you consider the many other types of fluids that keep our cars running at top performance? Auto fluids like brake fluid, transmission fluid, antifreeze, and other automotive fluids can pose a major health and environmental risk if they find their way into rivers, lakes, and streams. In addition to being toxic, used fluids are often contaminated by fuel, dirt, or metals such as lead, cadmium, and chromium. Contaminated fluids are regulated as hazardous waste, which means it cannot be put into a landfill. If they’re not good enough for the landfill, they’re certainly not good enough for waterways!
Recycling Used Automotive Fluids
Oil: Motor oil doesn’t wear out – it gets dirty but can be cleaned and reused when recycled. Recycled motor oil must meet the same standards as regular motor oil and generally costs the same to purchase. There are dozens of locations around Greenville County that accept used automotive oil. Click here for a map of many of the oil recycling facilities around Greenville. Note: oil collection centers are in black.
Antifreeze: Twin Chimneys Landfill (restricted to residents of Greenville County). Call 864-243-9662 for information.
Transmission Fluid: Several locations of the following businesses: Twin Chimneys Landfill, Firestone Complete Auto Care, Advance Auto Parts, and Tractor Supply. Call your local branch for information.
Brake Fluid: Twin Chimneys Landfill. Several locations of Firestone Complete Auto Care. Call your local branch for information.
Do you have contaminated or mixed fluids? Twin Chimneys Landfill accepts contaminated or mixed auto fluids as well as separated fluids.
Eco-Friendly Car Washing
Don’t forget, auto-fluids also include the soaps and suds used to keep your ride looking fresh and clean! Car wash runoff also contains everything you’ve just washed off of your car, like dirt, oil, metals, and other contaminants. Follow these tips to keep soaps, detergents, and other pollutants out of local waterways:
- Wash your car on permeable surfaces, such as a lawn or gravel area. This helps to filter pollutants out of the water.
- If you have to wash your car on a hard surface, like a driveway, direct the runoff into grassy or gravel areas, if possible.
- Use low or no phosphate detergents.
- Use an automatic shutoff nozzle to help conserve water.
Phosphate Detergents Spell Trouble
Many soaps and detergents contain phosphorous, which is a major source of nutrient pollution when washed into the water. “Wait just a second,” you may say. “Aren’t nutrients a good thing?” you may ask. At naturally occurring amounts, nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus support the growth of plants and animals. An overload of nutrients, however, does more harm than good. For example, excess phosphorous can cause rapid and widespread algae growth. Algal blooms deplete oxygen from the water, compete with aquatic plants for resources, and block sunlight from penetrating into the water, meaning aquatic plants can’t photosynthesize. Some algae are even toxic to humans and wildlife!