Puget Sound Starts with CAR CARE

It Takes Just Three Small Changes

How to drive and take care of our cars to save Puget Sound:

We can keep pollution out of our creeks, lakes, rivers and Puget Sound. Our small actions add up to a BIG difference for Puget Sound, the Salish Sea and marine life!

When it rains, pollution from cars wash into storm drains, and then straight into local streams, lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound. Pollutants like oil, car wash soaps and chemicals, and bits of tire dust are bad for water quality and harm people and wildlife, like salmon and orcas, that depend on clean water to survive.

CAR WASHING

• Take your car to a commercial car wash. The dirty water from commercial car washes goes to a treatment facility run by the LOTT (Lacey-Olympia-Tumwater-Thurston County) Clean Water Alliance.

• If using a commercial car wash isn’t an option, wash your car in a grassy area. The grass and soil will soak up the wash water, preventing it from running down the street into a storm drain.

When you wash your car, the rinse water contains harmful pollutants like oil, grease, heavy metals and soaps. If you wash your car on the street or in your driveway, the pollutants run on the street and into the storm drain, and then flow untreated into our local creeks, lakes, rivers and Puget Sound. That’s why In many communities it’s illegal to let that soapy water enter a storm drain.

DON'T DRIP AND DRIVE

Take these steps to maintain the health of your vehicle and the environment:

• Check your vehicle for leaks regularly and get them fixed promptly.

• Clean up spills or leaks immediately.

• Materials to clean up leaks include sand, kitty litter and paper towels – use a broom to absorb the pollutant, sweep it up and put it in the trash.

• Use ground cloths, cardboard, or drip pans to catch leaks and when you are doing engine work. Throw used cardboard and cloths in the trash.

Even a small oil leak can have a big impact on your car and our creeks, lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound. Every drop on your driveway means a shorter lifespan for your car. Plus, oil and other petroleum products are toxic to people, wildlife, and plants.

TIRE MAINTENANCE

Proper tire maintenance will extend the life of your tires and save you money.

• Keep tires properly inflated so that they will wear down more slowly. Check your tire pressure once per month, either with your own pressure gauge or at a gas station air pump. You can find the recommended tire pressure in your owner’s manual, or on a sticker inside the driver’s side door.

• Get your tire alignment checked and rotate tires according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Proper alignment and regular rotation prevent uneven wear on your tires, reducing the amount of tire particles that wear off as you drive.

Car tires have many chemicals that help protect them from damage. As we drive, the tires wear down, leaving tiny bits of tire behind on our roads. The chemicals in the tire bits are toxic to fish. When it rains, the runoff picks up the tire bits and carries them down storm drains and into our waterways.

Scientists discovered an ingredient in tires called 6PPD-Q. It’s used to preserve tire rubber, but when it reacts with ozone in the air, it transforms into a new chemical that’s highly toxic to coho salmon.

Taking care of your tires is the best thing drivers can do to reduce wear and prevent tire pollution.