Environmental issues at car repair shops

Hazardous waste is waste that may pose a risk or harm to health or the environment. Hazardous waste generated and handled in car repair shop operations includes:

• oil and sand separator waste
• waste oils
• brake, clutch and radiator fluid waste
• scrap batteries
• solid oily waste, including used oil filters, absorption materials and oily rags. 

Car wash operations, on the other hand, deal with washing chemicals, such as solvent-containing car detergents and acid-based wheel cleaners.

Hazardous waste and chemicals must not be poured into sewers or stormwater inlets, as they must not end up in soil, groundwater or surface water bodies. Improper handling of hazardous waste and chemicals can lead to soil contamination or contamination of surface water and groundwater. This, in turn, can cause serious environmental and health problems as well as significant economic costs to the party causing the damage and to society.

Waste that is not hazardous waste in itself but contains hazardous waste is treated as hazardous waste. Such waste includes rags tainted by oil and oil-containing sand from a sand separation well. Only properly sorted and recycled hazardous waste can be treated in such a way that it does not harm the environment.

Each hazardous waste must be stored separately from each other and from other waste. Hazardous waste must not be mixed with other hazardous waste or diluted with any other substances.

Hazardous waste and chemicals should be stored in a locked space and in a tightly sealed container with a double sheath or placed on a tight and ridged surface or in a containment basin. The volume of the containment basin must be dimensioned so that in the event of leakage, the containment basin can fit at least 1.1 times the volume of the largest single container placed in it. Scrap batteries must also be stored in a containment basin due to the risk of leakage.

Hazardous waste can be stored in its own intact original packaging, as long as the packaging clearly states that it contains waste. In this way, information about the contents of cans and barrels is provided to parties such as the rescue authorities in possible hazardous situations.

The company that produces hazardous waste is responsible for its waste until the waste has been delivered to the appropriate treatment site. The waste should only be handed over to a recipient that is registered as a waste collector and has the necessary permits to process the waste. For example, there are several waste oil collection service providers in Finland.

The company can also deliver its hazardous waste by itself to the HSY Sortti station in Kivikko, Helsinki. The delivery of hazardous waste to the Sortti station in Kivikko is subject to a fee. Companies cannot deliver hazardous waste to HSY Sortti Stations other than the one in Kivikko. In addition to HSY, there are other companies that offer hazardous waste reception services.

According to the law, a company producing hazardous waste has the obligation to keep a record of the annual waste generated and delivered in its operations. The records must be kept for six years and must be presented to the authorities upon request.

An electronic transfer document is required whenever the company’s hazardous waste is transported. The transfer document is like a consignment note, stating the content of the transport and confirming that the hazardous waste has been properly handed over and received. The transfer document shall be kept for a period of three years.

More information about the transfer document is available on the website of Finnish environmental administration(external link, opens in a new window).

Entrepreneurs in the automotive industry must familiarise themselves with the warning labels and safety data sheets of oils, chemicals and fuels.

It is recommended to have a sand and oil separator well on the premises of the car repair shop or maintenance workshop. The sand and oil separator well should be inspected at least once a year and emptied regularly. The functionality of the alarm for the separator becoming full must also be checked regularly. A record must be kept of the emptying of the sand and oil separators.

Car washing is only allowed in dedicated washing facilities with the necessary oil and sand separator wells. Chemicals, oils or, for example, car detergents must not end up in a stormwater inlet.

The company’s premises must have sufficient absorption material to prevent possible leakage damage, as well as a fire extinguisher that is in working order.

If hazardous waste or chemicals enter the soil, groundwater, surface water or wastewater inlet, damage control and cleaning of the area must be started immediately. Report the incident to the Western Uusimaa Rescue Department immediately by calling 112.