Overview of car wash wastewater

A car wash also written as "carwash" or auto wash is a facility used to clean the exterior and, in some cases, the interior of motor vehicles.[citation needed] While there are many types

A car wash (also written as "carwash") or auto wash is a facility used to clean the exterior and, in some cases, the interior of motor vehicles.[citation needed]

While there are many types of car washes, most fall into the following categories:

Hand car wash facilities, where the vehicle is washed by employees

Self-service facilities, which are generally coin-operated, where the customer does the washing, including

"jet washing"

In-bay automatics, which consist of an automatic machine that rolls back and forth over a stationary vehicle - often seen at filling stations and stand-alone wash sites

Tunnel washes, which use a conveyor to move the vehicle through a series of fixed cleaning mechanisms Chemical car wash, also known as waterless car wash, uses chemicals to wash and polish car surface Thought to have originated in Australia and claims to be an eco-friendly car wash method.[citation

needed]

Steam car washes use a jet of steam and micro fiber towels, some include detergent injection Known to have originated from South Korea, steam car washes have been especially popular as a low-investment, eco-friendly car wash solution in Asia, Middle East and Europe thanks to its sanitizing features and mobility.[citation needed]

Mobile Car Washes, often also serving as mobile detailing systems, which carry plastic water tanks and use pressure washers Sometimes these systems are mounted on trailers, on trucks, or in vans Generally these operators also have a generator to run a shop vac., buffers and other tools as well.[citation needed] Mechanized car washes, especially those with brushes, were once avoided by some meticulous car owners because of the risk of damaging the finish Paint finishes have improved as have car washing processes, and this perception of vehicle damage is much less today However, this perception was the motive behind the rise of facilities utilizing "brushless" (cloth) and "touch-free" (high-pressure water) equipment,

as well as modern "foam" washing wheels made of closed cell foam

In today's modern car wash facilities, whether tunnel, in-bay automatic or self-serve, soaps and other cleaning solutions used are designed to loosen and eliminate dirt and grime This is in contrast to earlier times, when hydrofluoric acid, a hazardous chemical, was commonly used as a cleaning agent in the industry by some operators There has been a strong move in the industry to shift to safer cleaning

solutions Most car wash facilities are required by law to treat and/or reuse their water and may be

required to maintain waste-water discharge permits, in contrast to unregulated facilities or even driveway washing (at one's home), where waste-water can end up in the storm drain and, eventually, in streams, rivers and lakes

[edit]Self-serve car wash

A multi-bay self-service car wash, with an automatic "touchless" bay at the far left and manual bays on the right

A simple and automated type of car wash that is typically coin-operated or token-operated self-service system Newer self-service car washes offer the ability to pay with credit cards or loyalty cards The vehicle is parked inside a large covered bay that is equipped with a trigger gun and wand (a high-pressure sprayer) and a scrub foam-brush When customers insert coins or tokens into the controller, they can choose options such as soap, tire cleaner, wax or clear water rinse, all dispensed from the sprayer, or scrub the vehicle with the foam-brush The number of coins or tokens inserted determines the amount of time customers have to operate the equipment; in most instances, a minimum number of coins are necessary to start the equipment These facilities are often equipped with separate vacuum stations that allow

customers to clean the upholstery and rugs inside their cars Some self-service car washes offer hand-held dryers, a somewhat new feature

[edit]Automatic car wash

Rotating brushes inside a conveyor car-wash

The first conveyorized automatic car washes appeared in the late 1930s Conveyorized automatic car washes consist of tunnel-like buildings into which customers (or attendants) drive Some car washes have their customers pay through a computerized POS, or point of sale unit, also known as an "automatic cashier", which may take the place of a human cashier The mechanism inputs the wash PLU into a master computer or a tunnel controller automatically When the sale is automated, after paying the car is put into

a line-up called the stack or queue The stack moves sequentially, so the wash knows what each car purchased After pulling up to the tunnel entrance, an attendant usually guides the customer onto the conveyor At some washes, the system will send the correct number of rollers automatically, based on tire sensors The tire sensor lets the wash know where the wheels are and how far apart they are On other systems the employee may guide the customer on and press a 'Send Car' button on the tunnel controller, to manually send the rollers which push the car through

When the customer is on the conveyor, the attendant (or signage) will instruct the customer to put the vehicle into neutral, release all brakes, and refrain from steering Failure to do so can cause an accident on the conveyor The rollers come up behind the tires, pushing the car through a detector, which measures vehicle length, allowing the controller to tailor the wash to each individual vehicle The equipment frame,

or arches, vary in number and type A good car wash makes use of many different pieces of equipment and stages of chemical application to thoroughly clean the vehicle

A vehicle in the high pressure rinse stage of the wash Also visible is the conveyor

The carwash will typically start cleaning with pre-soaks applied through special arches They may apply a lower pH (mild acid) followed by a higher pH (mild alkali), or the order may be reversed depending on chemical suppliers and formula used Chemical formulas and concentrations will also vary based upon seasonal dirt and film on vehicles, as well as exterior temperature, and other factors Chemical dilution and application works in combination with removal systems based on either high pressure water, friction,

or a combination of both Chemical substances, while they are industrial strength, are not used in harmful concentrations since car washes are designed not to harm a vehicle's components or finish

The customer next encounters tire and wheel nozzles, which the industry calls CTAs (Chemical Tire Applicators) These will apply specialized formulations, which remove brake dust and build up from the surface of the wheels and tires The next arch will often be wraparounds, usually made of a soft cloth, or closed cell foam material These wraparounds should rub the front bumper and, after washing the sides, will follow across the rear of the vehicle cleaning the rear including the license plate area Past the first wraps or entrance wraps may be a tire brush that will scrub the tires and wheels This low piece is often located beneath a mitter (the hanging ribbon-like curtains of cloth that move front to back or side to side)

or top wheels There may also be rocker panel washers which are shorter in size (ranging in size from 18 inches [45 cm] up to 63 inches [160 cm] tall) that clean the lower parts of the vehicle Most rocker

brushes house the motor below the brush hub so they don't inhibit cloth movement and allow the brush to

be mounted under a support frame or below a mitter Some car washes have multiple mitters, or a

combination of mitters and top brushes

Typical "tunnel" car wash view from the inside

After the mitter or top brush(es) the car may pass through a second set of wraparounds This may also be where high pressure water streams are used to clean difficult to reach parts of the vehicle The car

generally passes over an under carriage wash and/or has high pressure nozzles pointed at it from various positions Next may be a tire spinner, high pressure nozzles angled specifically to clean wheels and tires After the several wash stations the vehicle may go through triple foamers, usually red, blue, and yellow, although colors can be customized with higher end chemical suppliers The triple foam process includes special cleaners as well as some protective paint sealant

Some washes have multiple rinse stages, usually offering a protectant as an option

Protectants vary by manufacturer Near the rinse is where a tire shining machine is often installed, which

is designed to apply silicone tire dressing to the tires This application makes the tires look good (new, and glossy) and preserves the rubber Next the vehicle is treated with a drying agent and a final rinse Many carwashes utilize a "spot free" rinse of soft water that has been filtered of chlorine and sent through semi permeable membranes to produce highly purified water that will not leave spots After using spot free water, the vehicle is finished with forced air drying, in some cases utilizing heat to produce a very dry car

A touchless car wash

Older automatic washes - a majority of which were built prior to 1980 - used to use brushes with soft nylon bristles, which tended to leave a nylon deposit in the shape of a bristle, called brushmarks, on the vehicle's paint Many newer washes in the US are either cloth (which is not harmful to a car's finish, as long as it is flushed with plenty of water to remove the grit from previous washes) or a closed cell foam brush, which does not hold dirt or water, thus is far less likely to harm any painted finish Closed cell foam brushes can, in fact, provide a gentle polishing effect that will shine the vehicle's surface during a wash

In order to avoid marking paintwork, "touchless" (aka "touchfree" or "no-touch") car washes were

developed A touchless car wash uses high water pressure to clean the vehicle instead of brushes,

minimizing the chance of surface damage to the vehicle There are five primary factors to cleaning a vehicle successfully using a touchless system These five factors are water quality, water temperature, chemistry, time, and water pressure generated by the equipment If these factors are all set properly, vehicles will come out clean and shiny without the chance of vehicle damage caused by brushes

At "full-service" car washes, the exterior of the car is washed mechanically with conveyorized equipment,

or in some cases by hand, with attendants available to dry the car manually, and to clean the interior (normally consisting of cleaning the windows, wiping the front and side dashes, and vacuuming the carpet and upholstery) Many full service car washes also provide "detailing" services, which may include polishing and waxing the car's exterior by hand or machine, shampooing and steaming interiors, and other services to provide thorough cleaning and protection to the car

[edit]Bikini car wash

of the drivers Hooters restaurants usually have bikini car washes in the summer to attract customers [edit]Environmental factors

The primary environmental considerations for car washing are:

Use of water and energy resources;

Contamination of surface waters;

Contamination of soil and groundwater

Use of water supplies and energy are self-evident, since car washes are users of such resources The professional car wash industry has made great strides in reducing its environmental footprint, a trend that will continue to accelerate due to regulation and consumer demand Many car washes already use water reclamation systems to significantly reduce water usage and a variety of energy usage reduction

technologies These systems may be mandatory where water restrictions are in place

Contamination of surface waters may arise from the rinse discharging to storm drains, which eventually drain to rivers and lakes Chief pollutants in such wash-water include phosphates; oil and grease; and lead This is almost exclusively an issue for home/driveway washing, and parking lot style charity

washes Professional carwashing is a "non-point source" of discharge that has the ability to capture these contaminants and have them undergo treatment before being released into sanitary systems (Water and contaminants that enter storm water drains does not undergo treatment, and is released directly into rivers, lakes and streams.)

Soil contamination is sometimes related to such surface runoff, but more importantly is associated with soil contamination from underground fuel tanks or auto servicing operations which commonly are

ancillary uses of car wash sites — but not an issue for car washing itself

For these reasons, some state and local environmental groups (the most notable being the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection) have begun campaigns to encourage consumers to use

professional car washes as opposed to driveway washing, including moving charity car wash fund raisers from parking lots to professional car washes

[edit]See also

Auto detailing

Jetwash

[edit]References

[edit]External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Car washes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Car washing

Waterless Car Cleaning Products

How Car Washes Work at HowStuffWorks

International Carwash Association

DMOZ Directry Listing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_wash

Office of Small Business - Publications

How Do I Handle My Professional Car Wash Wastewater?

Information presented in this publication is intended to provide a general understanding of the statutory and regulatory requirements governing car wash wastewater This information is not intended to replace, limit or expand upon the complete statutory and regulatory requirements found in the Illinois

Environmental Protection Act and Title 35 of the Illinois Administrative Code These requirements can be found on line at www.ipcb.state.il.us

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How Do I Handle My Professional Car Wash Wastewater?

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Professional car washes are an easy way for consumers to remove dirt and grime from their vehicles The dirt washed off vehicles as well as the cleaning materials themselves may be harmful to the environment

As the operator of a professional car wash, what must you do to keep this dirt and the chemicals used in the cleaning process from being released into the environment? This fact sheet provides a description of the types of professional car washes, and explains why car wash activities are a concern to the

environment, how to manage and discharge wastewater, how to manage sludge, how to prevent

groundwater contamination, and how to become more environmentally friendly and conserve water What Types of Professional Car Washes Are There?

Most professional car washes can be classified as conveyor, inbay automatic, or self-service systems These are described below

In a conveyor car wash system, the car moves on a conveyor belt while the exterior of the car is washed The two basic technologies that are available for the conveyor wash cycle are friction and frictionless The friction wash uses brushes or curtain strips made of cloth or other material to clean the vehicle, while the frictionless uses high-pressure nozzles In addition, the conveyor car wash is either full service or exterior only In a full-service conveyor car wash, both the interior and exterior of the car are cleaned Exterior-only car washes do not clean the interior

At an in-bay automatic car wash, the vehicle is parked in a bay and remains stationary while a machine moves back and forth over the vehicle to clean it A professional in-bay car wash uses brushes made of nylon or other material, soft cloth strips, or automatic washers consisting of highpressure nozzles

In a self-service car wash, the customers wash the vehicles A wand dispenses water and cleanser at varying amounts and pressures In addition, a low-pressure brush may be available to assist in the wash cycle

Why Are Car Washes a Concern For the Environment?

Professional car wash systems create wash wastewater that can have a great impact on the environment if not properly managed and discharged

Contaminants in wash wastewater include the following:

Oil and grease, which contain hazardous materials such as benzene, lead, zinc, chromium, arsenic,

pesticides, herbicides, nitrates, and other metals

Detergents, including biodegradable detergents, that can be poisonous to fish

Phosphates, which are plant nutrients and can cause excessive growth of nuisance plants in water bodies Chemicals, such as hydrofluoric acid and ammonium bifluoride products (ABF), and solvent-based solutions that are harmful to living organisms

Chemicals and oils used for the maintenance of cleaning machinery (for automatic systems)

Debris that can clog storm sewer inlets and grates and thereby prevent storm water drainage to the sewer Washing vehicles on hard, impervious surfaces such as concrete areas can cause wash wastewater flow into storm drains It is necessary to find out if area storm and sanitary sewers are combined or separate systems Many storm and s a n i t a ry sewers in the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater

Chicago (MWRDGC) are combined before the final discharge point; therefore, most wastewater is treated before it is discharged to surface water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and streams Many newer areas and other cities have separate sewer systems; therefore, wastewater discharged to storm sewers is discharged directly to water bodies without treatment to remove pollutants Car wash wastewater can be harmful to humans, plants, and animals if released untreated to surface water bodies Additionally, allowing wash wastewater to soak into the ground can be harmful because the wastewater may contaminate soil and groundwater More information on how to prevent soil and groundwater contamination is presented later

in this fact sheet

How Should I Manage and Discharge My Wastewater?

The Clean Water Act requires professional car washes to route car wash wastewater to water treatment facilities or to state-approved drainage facilities designed to protect the environment Filtration of the wastewater may be conducted before discharge to a sanitary sewer Filtration is recommended so that fewer solids are present in the wash wastewater stream discharge to the sanitary sewer system Filtration

is mandated by the MWRDGC for wastewater that contains particles greater than 0.5 inch in diameter Once filtration has taken place, you will be left with a sludge that must be disposed of Details for proper disposal are discussed below

Do I Need a Permit for My Wastewater Discharges?

A National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) is required for businesses that discharge car wash wastewater directly into a

surface water body or to a storm sewer that discharges to a surface water body If car wash wastewater is discharged directly to a sanitary sewer system, a business owner must apply for a state construction permit and may also need to apply for a state operating permit Contact the Office of Small Business for more information on Illinois EPA water permits Because car wash regulations vary from city to city, it is wise to contact the city storm water program or department or water department to determine exact local permit requirements

How Do I Manage My Sludge?

Sludge can be disposed of wet or dry The requirements associated with each are described below

The sludge can be dried by removing it from the car wash system and allowing the water to evaporate The sludge may be dried at the site where it is generated without a Bureau of Land permit If you take the sludge somewhere else to dry, the drying site must have a Bureau of Land permit You must transport the sludge under manifest as special waste unless the sludge is certified as non-special Sludge which is certified as non-special waste can be disposed of with your general refuse Refer to the fact sheet “Do I Have A Special Waste?” for more information on special waste and certifying your waste as non-special Special waste must be handled and disposed of in accordance with specific Illinois EPA regulations For more information on special waste, refer to the fact sheet “Do I Have A Special Waste?” You must

determine if the amount of special waste that you have generated requires you to obtain a generator identification number For more information on this determination, refer to the fact sheet “Does My Business Need Generator Identification Numbers And Manifests?” Also, special waste must be disposed

of in a licensed, special waste disposal facility and must be transported by a licensed special waste hauler using a special waste manifest Disposal of sludge as special waste may significantly increase disposal cost Drying and disposing of the sludge as general refuse may reduce these costs

How Can I Prevent Soil and Groundwater Contamination?

Soil and groundwater contamination is a serious hazard to human health Therefore, steps must be taken

to prevent discharge of car wash wastewater to soil and groundwater The steps below should be taken Discharge to sewer systems or to holding tanks when applicable and in compliance with state and local regulations

Capture and recycle as much wastewater as possible using filters, oil-water separators, reclamation systems, and other appropriate technologies

Hire a licensed special waste transporter to dispose of wet sludge and other nonrecyclable special wastes Comply with state and local solid and liquid waste disposal regulations

Dry the sludge in containers and dispose of it as general refuse

How Can I Make My Professional Car Wash System More Environmentally Friendly?

As discussed above, the toxic materials associated with a professional car wash system include detergents, phosphates, chemicals such as hydrofluoric acid, and ABFs The amount of toxic materials in a

professional car wash system can be reduced by taking the measures below

Use biodegradable soaps and chemicals instead of solvent- based solutions

Reduce the amount of detergent used in the system Using less detergent produces less suds and reduces the amount of discharge to the sewer system

Water softeners and filtration can lower the amount of total suspended solids in water and reduce spotting

on vehicles If there is less spotting on the vehicles, less detergent will be needed

How Can I Make My Car Wash System More Water Efficient?

Over the past 10 years, professional car washes have implemented and improved water conservation practices Professional car washes can become even more water efficient by taking the general measures below

Detect and repair all leaks in the system

Install lower flow nozzles and run at lower pressure; adjust flow in nozzles, sprays, and other lines to meet minimum quality requirements

Maintain all water-using devices to original or improved specifications for the conservation of water, and replace worn equipment with water-saving models

Replace brass or plastic nozzles, which erode more quickly, with stainless-steel or hard ceramic nozzles Check alignment of nozzles, and inspect nozzles for clogging on a regular basis

Install positive shut-off valves on all hoses and valves and in extractor sinks

Turn off all flows during shutdowns Use solenoid valves to stop the flow of water when production stops When washing towels or rags, use front-loading washing machines and reduce the amount of laundry by doing fewer but fuller loads

Identify discharges that can be reused and implement reuse practices

In addition, there are specific measures that can be taken for each type of car wash For a conveyor system, water can be greatly conserved by reducing conveyor time Also, nozzles should be timed to turn

on as the vehicle enters the arch and shut off as it moves out of range For an in-bay automatic car wash, adjusting nozzle alignment, flow rates, and timing can conserve water

How Do I Obtain More Information?

For more information on professional car wash environmental requirements, please call the Office of Small Business at 1-888-EPA-1996 All calls are considered confidential, and the caller can remain anonymous You can also visit the Illinois EPA website at www.epa.state.il.us All fact sheets mentioned in this document are available through the Illinois EPA website

Eco-Friendly Car Washing: Is It Better to Wash Cars at Home or at the Car Wash?

Commercial Car Washes Treat and Recycle Waste Water

From Earth Talk

See More About:eco-friendly car washinggreen livingwater conservationwater pollutionwaterless car washing

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Dear EarthTalk: What is the most environmentally friendly way I can wash my car: doing it myself or going to the local car wash? Jim, Denton, TX

Few people realize that washing our cars in our driveways is one of the most environmentally un-friendly chores we can do around the house Unlike household waste water that enters sewers or septic systems and undergoes treatment before it is discharged into the environment, what runs off from your car goes right into storm drains and eventually into rivers, streams, creeks and wetlands where it poisons aquatic life and wreaks other ecosystem havoc After all, that water is loaded with a witch’s brew of gasoline, oil and residues from exhaust fumes as well as the harsh detergents being used for the washing itself Commercial Car Washes Treat Waste Water

On the other hand, federal laws in both the U.S and Canada require commercial carwash facilities to drain their wastewater into sewer systems, so it gets treated before it is discharged back into the great outdoors And commercial car washes use computer controlled systems and high-pressure nozzles and pumps that minimize water usage Many also recycle and re-use the rinse water

The International Carwash Association, an industry group representing commercial car wash companies, reports that automatic car washes use less than half the water of even the most careful home car washer According to one report, washing a car at home typically uses between 80 and 140 gallons of water, while

a commercial car wash averages less than 45 gallons per car

Think Green When Washing Your Car

If you must wash your car at home, choose a biodegradable soap specifically formulated for automotive parts, such as Simple Green’s Car Wash or Gliptone’s Wash ‘n Glow Or you can make your own

biodegradable car wash by mixing one cup of liquid dishwashing detergent and 3/4 cup of powdered laundry detergent (each should be chlorine- and phosphate-free and non-petroleum-based) with three gallons of water This concentrate can then be used sparingly with water over exterior car surfaces

Even when using green-friendly cleaners, it is better to avoid the driveway and instead wash your car on your lawn or over dirt so that the toxic waste water can be absorbed and neutralized in soil instead of