-
Each
car battery that is recycled safely disposes of
18 pounds of toxic lead and one full gallon of sulfuric acid.
-
In
1989, it was estimated that more than 21 million pounds of antifreeze
was dumped into the environment when it could have easily been
recycled.
-
According
to the Natural Resources Defense Council, car air conditioners are
responsible for as much as 16% of the depletion of the ozone layer.
Make sure CFC’s are collected for recycling.
REMEMBER
Dispose
of Your Leftover
Automotive Products Properly. Most materials are accepted at the
Passaic County’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Day events.
Call the Passaic County Environmental Hotline with your questions
or for more information
at
881-4506
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|
Do
you know how to handle the by-products associated with owning and
operating a car?
Do
you know if those products are hazardous or not?
According
to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the average US home has as many
as 63 different types of chemicals, generating as much as 15 pounds of
hazardous waste every year.
| Product |
Hazardous
Properties |
Alternatives |
Management |
| Antifreeze |
Toxic -
ethylene glycol |
Propylene
glycol |
 |
| Transmission Fluid |
Toxic -
hydrocarbons, mineral oils |
Unknown |
- HHW |
| Brake Fluid |
Toxic -
glycol ethers, heavy metals |
Unknown |
- HHW |
| Used Motor Oil |
Toxic -
hydrocarbons, heavy metals |
Unknown |
- HHW |
| Auto Batteries |
Corrosive
& Toxic - sulfuric acid |
Unknown |
|
| Wiper Fluid |
Flammable
& Toxic - methanol |
Non-methanol
type |
- HHW |
| Oil Filters |
Toxic -
hydrocarbons, heavy metals |
Unknown |
- HHW |
| Gasoline |
Flammable
& Toxic - benzene |
Unknown |
Use Up -
HHW |
-
= Recycle by taking to a reputable recycling facility
or drop-off site.
- HHW = Save for the next
Passaic County Household Hazardous Waste
Collection Event.
- Use up = Fully use these
products as intended so that there is no remaining
fluid. Unused products can be passed along for others to
use.
|
Cars
contribute to many of the environmental problems we face such as air
pollution, water pollution and rapidly filling landfill space.
You
can cut down on the negative impacts of owning and driving an automobile,
as well as cut down on operating costs, with just a few simple maintenance
tips.
-
Keep
Your Car Tuned. A
well-tuned car uses as much as 10% less gas than a poorly tuned one,
keeping about 1/2 ton of carbon dioxide emissions a year out of our
atmosphere.
-
Check
Your Tire Pressure Regularly. Under-inflated
tires not only cause a poor ride, premature wear and unnecessary air
pollution, but also waste up to 5% of your gas.
As many as half the cars on the road may have under-inflated
tires, wasting 4.75
billion dollars of gasoline a year.
-
Use
Non-toxic Car Care Products.
Quite a bit of hazardous waste could be eliminated by using
cleaning products made with more natural ingredients.
-
Stay
Fuel Efficient to Save Money.
Driving at higher speeds uses extra
gallons of gasoline, so that slowing down will mean fewer
fill-ups. You can also
save gasoline by letting your car warm up and avoiding jackrabbit
starts.
-
Recycle
Used Motor Oil. Used
motor oil is one of the largest sources of oil pollution to our ground
water. Most of this comes
from improper disposal by do-it-yourselfers. According to the USEPA,
one gallon of oil can contaminate a million gallons of ground water...
a years supply of drinking water for 50 people.
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