Home Mechanics
Here in Northern Virginia, we love to jump in our well-oiled cars and drive to the river or the lake for a fun day with friends and family! We can keep doing that if home mechanics dispose of their used motor oil properly.
 Families enjoy their days on the water... |
A Little Oil Can Do a Lot of DamageIt may not seem like much, but just a little bit of motor oil can pollute a lot of water. In fact, just two or three quarts can contaminate enough creek water to fill an Olympic swimming pool. That’s why you have to pay a big fine if you get caught dumping oil down a storm drain! |
 ...so do your part to keep motor oil out of storm drains. |
Little by Little, it Adds Up!The Clean Water Partners estimate that there are more than 200,000 “shade tree” mechanics in Northern Virginia. At 4 quarts per oil change, and three oil changes per year, that’s 85 full-sized tanker trucks full of pollution that they have to dispose of.What would our local waterways look like if every do-it-yourselfer dumped their oil down a storm drain? |
 For peace of mind, take your used oil to a convenient recycling station and let them take care of it. |
Do Your Part. They’re Doing Theirs.According to polls conducted by the Clean Water Partners, most shade tree mechanics do dispose of their oil properly — and that number grows each year. What would they say about you if they saw you dumping that oil down a storm drain? And how would you explain to your lady companion why you had to use your date night money to pay a fine for something like that? Learn More!The Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners put out a useful newsletter with money saving coupons and other tips for shade tree mechanics in our area. Click here to subscribe. And for other helpful information from your local government, click the appropriate link below: Alexandria |