The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) regulates discharge of pollutants to waterways in the U.S. under the EPA’s Clean Water Act.  NPDES Phase I was put into effect in 1992, modified in 1999 and Phase II becomes effective in March of 2003.

NPDES 40 CFR 122.36 (1999) requires stormwater permit holders to use Best Management Practices (BMPs) as part of their Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and baseline BMPS include the use of spill containment for hazardous liquids stored outdoors.

According to the EPA, 40% of the United State’s rivers, lakes and estuaries are pollution impaired and almost half of this problem is due to stormwater runoff. 

Approximately 70% of all storm drains lead directly to rivers, lakes and estuaries and are never treated.

One quart of spilled motor oil will make an oil slick as big as three football fields (2 acres).

Half of all Americans change their own oil.

40% of oil pollution in water is from the improper disposal of oil by people who change their own oil.

It takes 20 years for an aquatic system to completely recover from oil contamination.

220 million gallons of used motor oil are dumped into the environment in the United States every year.

56 million gallons of used motor oil are dumped into California's waterways each year.

In San Francisco, you can be fined up to $25,000 for dumping oil in a storm drain.

One gallon of used oil contaminates one million gallons of ground water.

Used oil contains toxins such as lead, arsenic, zinc, cadmium and benzene.

Oil doesn't wear out, it just gets dirty.  Used motor oil, transmission fluid, and brake fluid can be recycled.

One gallon of used oil can produce the same amount of motor oil as 42 gallons of crude oil - while requiring only one third of the energy to refine.

Americans throw away enough oil each year to fill 120 supertankers.