Change and Dispose of your Oil Responsibly

A single gallon of motor oil has the potential to pollute one million gallons of drinking water, so be careful if you change your own oil and make sure you dispose of it properly. Never dispose of used oil on the ground, into storm drains, sewers, or septic systems.

Proper motor oil disposal depends on what county you're in. On O‘ahu: Most local auto parts stores sell "Oil Change" boxes, which consist of a plastic bag full of absorbent material in a small cardboard box. Simply drain your oil into the box, tie up the bag, and dispose of the entire box with your houshold trash (this is OK because H-Power incinerates our trash).

Source

Outer Islands: A number of locations will accept used oil from home mechanics. The oil and container must both be clean and the oil must not be mixed with water or other auto fluids. Never use containers that once held bleach or other hazardous materials. Select your island for more details on when and where you can drop it off. Maui, Molokai and Lanai (drop off up to 2 gallons) Kauai (drop off up to 5 gallons; free oil containers are available) Big Island (drop off up to 3 gallons)

Re-refined, Recycled Oil

You now have the option of completing the recycling circle by buying back the oil you just recycled in the form of re-refined motor oil. These oils contain 100% re-refined oil in the base stock and meet API and SAE performance specifications and claim to match the performance of new motor oil. Check out this page for a list of companies and other information about re-refined oil.

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Use a Tarp

It's a good idea to always place a tarp under your car when you work on it. A tarp is handy for a bunch of reasons:

• It catches drips that you can then wipe up;
• If the tarp is a bright color, it makes it easier to find small parts and tools;
• The smooth surface helps you slide around while you're on your back;
• If you're doing body work outside, the tarp will catch dust and other material resulting from grinding so you can dispose of it in your trash; and
• It seperates you from any dirt or debris that might be on the road.

Sweep, Don't Hose

Do not clean up spills by hosing your driveway off. This just directs toxic fluids down stormdrains and into the streams. Instead, always keep some kind of adsorbent material (like kitty litter) on hand when you're working on your car. That way you can immediately cover any spills, sweep them up, and put them in a plastic bag which you can dispose of in the trash.

Engine coolants/antifreeze especially need to be wiped up because they pose a danger to household pets and small children (as well as to fish and coral reefs). These fluids taste really sweet, but they are poisonous (...and yes, we do use these things in Hawai‘i)!

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Location, Location, Location...

If at all possible, wash your car directly over a lawn or some other permeable surface. This waters your lawn while also letting the soapy water soak into the ground instead of running off into a local waterbody. Another added benefit is that while grass is relatively tolerant of soap, many pest insects are not.

If you do wash your car in the driveway, sweep it first. This helps keep trash and yard debris from flowing into storm drains along with your wash water.

Dish soap works great on cars, but as with all cleaning applications, try to use phosphate-free soap. Keep in mind that although lots of soaps claim to be Environmentally Friendly, very few are phosphate-free. We have provided information on phosphate-free dishsoaps on the Household BMP page under "Choose Environmentally Friendlier Products".

Another option is to take your car to a commercial car wash that has a recycle system and discharges wastewater to the sanitary sewer for treatment. Don't know if your local car wash recycles their water? Try ask!

Other Water Friendly Car-Washing Tips

Always use a nozzle on your hose to save water (and reduce runoff).

Don't wash your car if rain is expected.

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