Car Washing Bans

[alaskaguy]

The surging environmental movement appears poised to claim a common American pastime: washing the family car.

Across the country, environmental worries are fueling a crackdown on the automotive bucket brigades that have been a staple of American culture. Many towns -- particularly those on the eco-friendly West Coast -- cite reports showing that soap and grime from home car washes can run into the nearest stream or creek, poisoning the fish and other wildlife.

Industry officials say the trend is likely to spread east. "Without a doubt, this is not going to be just a West Coast trend but a national one," says Mark Thorsby, executive director of the International Carwash Association, an industry trade group based in Chicago, whose members could see a boost in business where amateur car washes are banned.

Link:
Towns May Shut Off Tap On Home Car Washing - WSJ.com

[brianhos]

So how are we supposed to keep our cars from rusting all out?

[ekim121]

Environmentalists don't care about cars rusting...if it were up to them we'd live in mud huts and be subsistence farmers. The reason their antics are spreading is that no one is willing to stand up and fight them on their premise that we're killing 'mother earth.' Rather, the people who do oppose them argue technecalities (sp?) for which there is always some sort of compromise reached.

I'd love to see someone in one of those towns wash their car everyday as I don't think anyone would have the cojones to arrest someone for washing their car.

[ncclone]

Here in North Carolina we will soon be unable to wash cars for another reason. No water. Durham has less than 60 days of water supply right now and Raleigh is around 100. We need rain very badly and this is the time of year that we don't get much.

[brianhos]

Here in North Carolina we will soon be unable to wash cars for another reason. No water. Durham has less than 60 days of water supply right now and Raleigh is around 100. We need rain very badly and this is the time of year that we don't get much.

Yeah that is a completely different situation. It has got to suck to be in the south right now.

[dmclone]

From my cold,wet, dead hands.

[cytech]

That is something that we won't really need to worry about in iowa for a while. The DNR doesn't even know what the clean water Act is here. They are much more strict in the west north east and southern area's.

[garn91]

Good God, is there no end to the insanity? Oh, and ncclone, I hope things improve for you and other SE residents soon.

[redrocker]

What's next, we have to resort to the old saying-

"If it's yellow,... let it mellow,... if it's brown,... flush it down"

[bos]

They should push to have the cleaning products environmentally friendly instead. That way people could still wash their cars and the wildlife wouldnt get screwed.

[alaskaguy]

What's next, we have to resort to the old saying-

"If it's yellow,... let it mellow,... if it's brown,... flush it down"

They already have that slogan afixed above the potties in the Eskimo villages that rely on the "honey bucket" system.

Honey buckets are found in many of the Eskimo villages in Northwest Alaska. Honey buckets are used where permafrost makes the installation of septic systems or outhouses impractical. The bucket is emptied, usually about once a week, by carrying it to a hopper.

So the next time your sitting on a pot you don't know how lucky you really are. If you had ever lived in an Eskimo communities you would appreciate your plumbing.

And car washes aren't an issue in most Eskimo villages since there is no real purpose to own a car when there aren't roads. A snowmachine (aka a snowmobile in the lower 48) and a four wheeler (aka an all terrain vehicle in the lower 48) will do just fine.

[snowcraig2.0]

The pussification of America continues.

[isuarch80]

They should push to have the cleaning products environmentally friendly instead. That way people could still wash their cars and the wildlife wouldnt get screwed.

I completely agree - and this is also why I only go to car washes that demonstrate they recycle their used water and use friendly washing methods. A commercial car wash i go to uses less water than the typical house uses in a given year - and they're washing cars all of the time!
There's radicals to both sides as others have shown the opposite extreme on this thread, but there really is a smart and middle ground to achieve everything we need to.

[Mr Janny]

That is something that we won't really need to worry about in iowa for a while. The DNR doesn't even know what the clean water Act is here. They are much more strict in the west north east and southern area's.

No doubt. Until Iowa can go a couple years without a Hog Confinement spill into one of our rivers/streams, I'm not going to worry about this too much. I'm much more concerned with having to drink pig ****, than I am about having some soap in my water.

[cytech]

They should push to have the cleaning products environmentally friendly instead. That way people could still wash their cars and the wildlife wouldnt get screwed.

I would say that a very large majority of cleaning products that can be purchased for public use are just fine for the environment. The problem is not with the chemicals at all. The problem is with the stuff that is removed from the car or vehicle itself. The Clean water act classifies anything that is removed from a vehicle that is washed as hazardous waste. No matter what it is that comes off the car, be it grease, oil, or dirt.
According to the CWA no contaminated water can be allowed to enter waters of the United States. Which by definition is any stream, river, retention pond, or storm sewers. Waters can be disposed of in a sanitary sewer with proper testing, and can be allowed to evaporate on your property.