Car repair shops received advice on how to take environmental issues into account
In 2023–2024, Espoo’s Environmental Protection surveyed the environmental risks of Espoo’s car repair shops and car washes. Special attention was paid to companies located in groundwater and flood risk areas in Espoo, as well as in the vicinity of valuable flowing waters. Advisory visits were carried out at randomly selected companies with the aim of increasing the knowledge of the industry on environmental issues and promoting the correct recycling of hazardous waste, such as oil and chemicals.
The new Waste Act entered into force in 2021, and the regional waste management regulations were updated in 2022. Establishing a car repair shop, service station or car wash is not subject to a permit, which is why operators may not be aware of what exactly the regulations and recommendations require from them in relation to the processing of waste and chemicals.
- If hazardous waste ends up in the soil, sensitive small bodies of water or groundwater, it can cause serious environmental and health problems as well as significant economic costs to the party causing the damage and to society, says environmental inspector Eero Lahtela from Espoo’s Environmental Protection.
Controlling leaks and having correct markings are crucial for storing waste
In addition to ordinary waste, the automotive industry generates hazardous waste, including oil and sand separator waste, waste oils, brake, clutch and radiator fluid waste, scrap batteries and solid oily waste such as oil filters and oily rags.
Three tips for avoiding environmental damage
- Waste oil does not belong in sewers or soil and may not be burned without permission. Hand over the waste oil to approved recipients for recycling.
- Carefully sort hazardous waste and store it separately in tightly sealed containers labeled with the contents.
- Store hazardous waste and chemicals on containment basins or in spaces without a drain.
Entrepreneurs receive up-to-date information on environmental regulations through advice service
Environmental Protection carried out advisory visits on sites that are close to vulnerable nature sites. The risk of environmental pollution is particularly high in these areas.
Environmental protection experts supervised that the chemicals and hazardous waste are stored and recycled correctly. In addition, they instructed operators in the sorting of different types of waste.
Some operators had good control over the handling and recycling of hazardous waste and chemicals. The most common comments given to operators concerned the lack of containment basins for waste oil containers and scrap batteries as well as the missing waste markings on containers containing hazardous waste. Operators were also unclear on issues such as who is responsible for emptying the company’s oil separator well. It is important that car repair shops and car wash stations pay attention to these things so that they can manage the risks to the environment as well as possible.
Read more about the environmental issues of car repair shops on the city's website.