MY CAR PERIODICALLY LEAKS ANTIFREEZE ONTO MY DRIVEWAY. SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT WATER POLLUTION?

As it becomes more important to extend the life of your vehicles it also becomes important to make sure you are not harming the environment with automobile fluids leaking. It is always good to be concerned about any synthetic chemical causing short-term or long-term water pollution problems. However, typical antifreeze chemicals are aliphatic organic hydrocarbons that have alcohol hydroxyl groups on two adjacent carbons. But they still are a concern. How does this play a role in your environment? It basically comes down to where this antifreeze, or automobile fluids are going to. Usually, they are going to end up in the storm-water runoff category.

When it rains, the draining water is called storm water runoff. Storm water can be a problem when there is a decrease in quality and an increase in quantity. Development can alter the natural pathway that storm water takes to travel over land, and increases the rate at which it travels over the land by changing porous surfaces (soil) to non-porous, or impervious surfaces (pavement). Natural surfaces, such as soil, act as a filter for storm water and clean it as it infiltrates into the ground. When a pervious surface is converted into an impervious surface, pollutants on the surface are collected by the storm water as it travels over the land, and deposits them into water when it discharges. As a result of developed and disturbed land, storm water becomes a problem because the quality of the storm water runoff decreases as it accumulates pollutants that collect on the ground.

Pollutants concentrated in storm water runoff eventually decrease the overall water quality of lakes, rivers, and streams that receive storm water discharges. The quantity and speed of storm water runoff moving over the land increases. This means that a greater volume of polluted runoff is reaching our lakes, rivers, and streams at a faster pace. This can result in flooding, as well as more polluted waters. As the amount of impervious surfaces in our community increases by creating more roads, rooftops, and parking lots, the quantity of storm water increases. If the storm water system cannot drain the runoff from impervious surfaces quickly enough, flooding can result. Storm water runoff picks up litter from streets and carries it to storm drains. Sometimes litter will clog an inlet and make it difficult for storm water to drain properly. This could lead to flooding if the drain is clogged enough. Storm water runoff can also contribute to erosion from areas that do not have vegetative cover, such as construction sites. We can see pollutants such as sediment.

Pollutants that we cannot see, such as bacteria and toxic chemicals, could result in illness.

Pollutants that we can’t see, such as bacteria and toxic chemicals, could result in illness. Thermal impacts from storm water runoff heating up as it travels over hot pavement can harm aquatic life that need cool water to survive. Illicit discharges, such as dumping antifreeze down a storm drain, are an example of how a contaminant can enter the storm sewer system and contribute to storm water contamination. It is important to understand that wastewater from the sanitary sewer system gets treated. Storm water traveling trough a separated storm sewer system never gets to a treatment plant. It discharges directly to our water, along with everything it picks up on its journey over the land. Storm water, which does not get treated, becomes a problem when it picks up debris, chemicals, dirt, and other pollutants as it flows eventually reaching a lake, river, stream, wetland, or coastal water.

These types of alcohols are very soluble in water but they are not high priority environmental pollutants. Ethylene and propylene glycol are the two primary chemicals in antifreeze and both are highly biodegradable in both soil and water and therefore, do not tend to accumulate in the environment or bio-concentrate in animal tissues from contaminated water. The primary health concern for antifreeze, especially one containing ethylene glycol which is more toxic than propylene glycol, is ingestion because it will produce toxic metabolites in the body. Cats, dogs, birds and other animals have died from drinking spilled ethylene glycol antifreeze or coolant containing this antifreeze. Natural rainfall will usually prevent antifreeze components from accumulating on driveways or parking areas. These chemicals can also be easily rinsed from parking areas with a hose. On the other hand, leaks of petroleum products from power steering units, transaxles or engines are of greater environmental concern than antifreeze chemicals because these oil products do not readily degrade and they often contain metals from mechanical wear and corrosion.

In order to keep automobile runoffs there are some simple steps you can take to do your part. Repair motor vehicle leaks and never dump into a drain, or ditch used motor vehicle fluids such as solvents, antifreeze, brake fluid, and motor oil. When it rains or snows, the flowing water can carry oil, antifreeze, and other fluids away ending up in streams, rivers, and lakes killing aquatic life and seriously polluting water bodies where people swim, fish, and boat. If you see a leak from your motor vehicle, contain it with a drip pan or absorbent material and clean up the residue from the ground. When spills and leaks happen, clean up as much fluid as you can as quickly as possible. Don’t mix used oil with solvents, brake cleaner, or antifreeze, because this creates a hazardous waste.