DATE: April 14, 2008

CONTACTS: Tom Reeves, City Engineer
(reeves@ci.monterey.ca.us)

PHONE: 831.646.3448

RELEASE: Immediate

MONTEREY BAY CAR & PRESSURE WASHING POLLUTANTS

 The Cities of Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel-By-The-Sea, Seaside, Del Rey Oaks, Sand City, Marina and the County of Monterey will be holding a public meeting to discuss new regulations to protect the Monterey Bay as well as the creeks and rivers in our region.  The meeting will be held Wednesday, April 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Oldemeyer Center, 536 Hilby Avenue, in Seaside.

At the meeting, there will be discussion about new regulations that will begin to be enforced, and ways to ease the transition to new practices for businesses and volunteer groups.  Businesses that provide the following services should attend: mobile car washing and detailing; washing or cleaning of building surfaces including sidewalks and pavement; painting of buildings; automotive shops that wash cars as a part of their business and equipment rental and maintenance.  In addition, volunteer and civic organizations that use car washing events as fund raisers should also attend.

The ocean can no longer be thought of as a waste receptacle.  When multiple cars are washed in one location, the soaps and detergents along with all of the pollutants including toxic metals and oils are sent directly to the ocean and result in a concentrated plume of contamination.  Sidewalk and building cleaning activities release toxic metals that are otherwise bound to the surfaces.  These too are released in a concentrated form and sent directly to the ocean.

For more information, please download the meeting notice by going to: www.co.monterey.ca.us/msea/News_Events/CommercialWkshp4_10_08.pdf

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