Fast Lube Centers Play Key Role in Keeping Drinking Water Safe

DALLAS, April 1 -- You may be thinking of what you can do to help the environment. You may start recycling, plant a tree, turn off lights when you're not in the room; but what you might not know is that by taking your vehicle to a fast lube center you are also protecting the environment and the water you drink.

If you change your own motor oil, what do you do with the used oil? If you pour it down the drain or dump it on the ground or in the trash, you may think that it won't do any harm, but it can end up in the ground water. Four pints of waste oil can ruin 1 million gallons of water, which is a year's supply for 50 people, according to the Automotive Oil Change Association.

Ground water is the water that soaks into the soil from rain or other precipitation and moves downward to fill cracks and other openings in beds of rocks and sand and is tapped through wells. Almost half of the U.S. population relies on groundwater for their drinking water supply and the United States uses 83.3 billion gallons per day of fresh ground water, so protecting it is of vital importance.

So what can you do to help protect the water we drink? Your local fast lube center may be the answer. If you bring your car to a fast lube center for an oil change, the used oil from your car will be properly stored and recycled. Most fast lube centers also accept used oil from do-it-yourselfers. Either way, you are doing your part to keep used oil out of drains and landfills so our drinking water supply will be cleaner and safer to drink.

Two organizations that promote the protection of ground water, the Automotive Oil Change Association and the National Ground Water Association, work year-round to raise awareness about the importance of properly disposing of used oil and other waste products.

"By visiting your local fast lube center you will be protecting your vehicle and doing your part to protect the environment at the same time," states Steve Christie, Executive Director of the Automotive Oil Change Association.

To find a local AOCA member fast lube center, go to http://www.aoca.org/ and click on "Find a Member Lube Center." To find out more about NGWA and protecting ground water, visit the NGWA website at http://www.wellowner.org/.

If you have any questions regarding this press release or would like more information, please contact the Automotive Oil Change Association. Phone: 800-331-0329 / Email: schristie@aoca.org