One in two Brits wash over environmental concerns

Over half (51%) of British motorists are forfeiting the environment by regularly hand washing their cars, mistakenly believing this has the least impact on the environment compared to regulated car washes, according to a study released today by Total UK and supported by TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk.

Whilst nearly three quarters (74%) of Brits understand that their individual actions have an effect on the environment, they appear to be unaware that washing a car on streets and driveways causes dirty water to run into the nearest rivers and streams, where it affects water quality and harms wildlife. If half of the 43 million British motorists decided to hand wash their car, 14 billion litres of untreated water would flow into local waterways^.

Faye Sunderland, editor, TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk, says: It’s shocking to see how many people are not aware of the impact hand washing a car has on the environment. It’s a serious issue as phosphates from the detergents used to clean vehicles can cause excess algae to grow, which not only affects the water quality but uses up oxygen in the water that is required for fish and other marine life to survive. Using a regulated car wash helps avoid this potential devastation as it ensures the water is properly treated before being pumped back into the waterways.”