Best Environmental Practice For Eco Friendly Car Repairs And Maintenance
Cars are one of the favourite targets of the green lobby. The largest consumption of energy occurs when a car is built or scrapped, so the most environmentally-friendly course of action for car users is to keep their car running for as long as possible. Gaia will also thank you for running the engine as efficiently as can be. When it comes to car repairs, there are a number of factors to look out for.
A car workshop that’s good for the environment will hold a Waste Producers Licence. Items taken from cars can be special waste that should be disposed of appropriately, with examples being brake and clutch fluid, waste oil and tyres.
Drains near a workshop should be checked regularly and debris removed. Workshop floors should be mopped rather than hosed and driveways and yards not be hosed at all. Premises and equipment ought to be clean. A vacuum system will remove dust and fumes from the air. Water-based paints are better for the environment.
Drip trays must be in place to catch liquids and spills should be cleaned as soon as they take place. A spill kit should be maintained close to where spills might occur and all staff should be familiar with its use. Chemicals must be stored in areas that do not allow for spills, for instance a dedicated chemical storage unit. Chemicals must never be disposed of in drains.
Car maintenance and repair shouldn’t be conducted on public highways, as this causes nuisance to residents, takes up space, maybe creates noise, appears unsightly and perhaps releases harmful chemicals. It’s illegal in the United Kingdom, incurring a fine of as much as USD3,832/GBP2,500/EUR3,427. If noise is present, under the Environmental Protection Act of 1990, the fine can be up to USD/30,653GBP20,000/EUR27,412. Car maintenance and repair in the street might also breach letting conditions. Miscreants deserve to be reported to the local council. Emergency repairs – those lasting no more than 72 hours – are exempt.
You will benefit more from repairs if the parts employed are of good quality. Hence, you should make sure you buy good quality cars parts when repairing your car. You can find a lot of good car parts here.
Research by Northwestern University’s Kellog School of Management in conjunction with AutoMD that covered 4,603 auto repair shops found that women who had no clue as to the cost of radiator replacement were charged more than men – USD406/GBP278/EUR381 compared to USD383/GBP250/EUR343. Women who indicated knowledge of the market rate were not overcharged. A further difference was that women who requested a price cut were more likely than men to receive it – 35 percent of women against 25 percent of men, which the authors of the report termed a “pretty sizable” difference. This is believed to be because when a woman defies stereotype and haggles, the workshop will fear that she will walk out the door. So if the homework has been done, car repairs are best sought by the fairer sex.
About the Author Staff Writer
Our writers come from all over the world, but one thing unites them - their passion for sustainability.