Car Washing and the Environment Fast Facts

There are over 13 million vehicles in Australia.
On average, a home car wash results in over 100 litres of wastewater, dirt and pollutants.
If collected and allowed to settle a single home car wash produces approximately 750 mls of thick black oily sludge.
It is estimated that in Melbourne or Sydney alone uncontrolled vehicle washing results in over two billion litres of untreated wastewater flows through the stormwater system into our waterways resulting in contamination levels up to 30 times higher than ANZECC guidelines for marine waters.
Uncontrolled vehicle washing causes damage to the plants and animals in our freshwater creeks and rivers and in the surrounding coastline.
In a commercial, regulated car wash, all contaminated run-off goes through special settlement pits to the sewer. None can run off into the stormwater systems which drain into the rivers and bays.
When soaps and other solvents are used to clean cars, they dissolve not only dirt and grease into the wastewater but also toxic surfactants, hydrocarbons and heavy metals such as copper, lead and zinc.
Commercial car washes are also water efficient with very high-pressure pumps and small nozzles on the trigger guns.
On average, one car wash will use the same amount of water as 1 load of clothes washing, 4 minutes of garden watering or a five-minute shower.

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