Sector Calls for Fair Play on Car Washing
21 May 2007
The Car Wash Campaign Group has been formed to provide a voice for responsible car wash businesses. The Group aims to promote high environmental and safety standards and ensure that operations that do not meet those standards are properly targeted by regulation and enforcement.
In particular the group will focus on ensuring that the environmental regulations that apply to commercial car wash operations are being enforced (see diagram). The groups other priority is to ensure that there is a proper debate on the impact of automatic car washes in times of water shortage.
The Group, which already includes car wash operators trading on forecourts and car wash suppliers, are looking to bring in more businesses so as to provide a collective voice for the car wash industry. The group is provided secretarial support by the Association of Convenience Stores, but will set its own agenda and campaign strategy.
David Charman, a car wash operator from Kent and the Chairman of the Group said: “The Car Wash Campaign Group is about speaking up for those responsible businesses that provide a valuable customer service to high quality standards and with due regard to the regulatory and environmental obligations that the business entails.
“Commercial car washing contributes over £800 million to our economy. It also provide a water efficient, safe service to drivers. We believe that those businesses that trade in compliance with the law should not be penalised for acting responsibly when others ignore the rules.
“In recent times we have seen the dramatic growth in unregulated hand car wash operations. These car wash operations pose significant environmental concerns as they often do not invest in correct disposal of waste water and chemicals. We will be calling on the Environment Agency and Government in particular to take enforcement on this issue seriously.
“We are also concerned about the inconsistent approach to how automatic car washes should be treated at times of water shortage. We challenge the presumption that car washes are an inefficient use of water, and in particular stress that washing cars by hosepipe is by far the least water efficient way to wash a car. We will be pressing for a fact based debate on this issue and press for a consistent approach to how car washes are treated to remove the great amount of uncertainty that has arisen in the past and will likely again.”
David Charman stressed the need for all car wash businesses to come together: “The Car Wash Campaign Group is a forum through which the car wash industry can come together and ensure our concerns are taken seriously. It is open to all businesses that share our ambition and we are keen to bring on board many more of our colleagues.”
Contact:
Shane Brennan Public Affairs and Communications Manager
ACS
01252 515001 / 07921 372978
Rachel Lawson Communications Co-ordinator
ACS
01252 515001
Michael Saxton Grappa PR
020 7602 9222
Notes to Editors:
1. The group is chaired by David Charman of Parkfoot garage Group, and the secretariat is the Association of Convenience Stores.
2. Members so far include Lakeside Group of Companies, Total, Esso, Wash-Tec, Wilco-matic, Car Wash UK, Ryko Istobal and ACS.
3. A legitimate car wash which uses 120 litres of water, will use only a quarter of what would be wasted by a person washing their car at home (approx 480 litres).
a. It is due to this wastage that washing a car at home is banned in other countries, such as Germany.
4. Car Washes on forecourts sites have to comply with environmental standards before they are issued with an Environmental Permit, allowing them to operate. The Pollution Prevention Guidelines can be found on The Environment Agency website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
In particular the group will focus on ensuring that the environmental regulations that apply to commercial car wash operations are being enforced (see diagram). The groups other priority is to ensure that there is a proper debate on the impact of automatic car washes in times of water shortage.
The Group, which already includes car wash operators trading on forecourts and car wash suppliers, are looking to bring in more businesses so as to provide a collective voice for the car wash industry. The group is provided secretarial support by the Association of Convenience Stores, but will set its own agenda and campaign strategy.
David Charman, a car wash operator from Kent and the Chairman of the Group said: “The Car Wash Campaign Group is about speaking up for those responsible businesses that provide a valuable customer service to high quality standards and with due regard to the regulatory and environmental obligations that the business entails.
“Commercial car washing contributes over £800 million to our economy. It also provide a water efficient, safe service to drivers. We believe that those businesses that trade in compliance with the law should not be penalised for acting responsibly when others ignore the rules.
“In recent times we have seen the dramatic growth in unregulated hand car wash operations. These car wash operations pose significant environmental concerns as they often do not invest in correct disposal of waste water and chemicals. We will be calling on the Environment Agency and Government in particular to take enforcement on this issue seriously.
“We are also concerned about the inconsistent approach to how automatic car washes should be treated at times of water shortage. We challenge the presumption that car washes are an inefficient use of water, and in particular stress that washing cars by hosepipe is by far the least water efficient way to wash a car. We will be pressing for a fact based debate on this issue and press for a consistent approach to how car washes are treated to remove the great amount of uncertainty that has arisen in the past and will likely again.”
David Charman stressed the need for all car wash businesses to come together: “The Car Wash Campaign Group is a forum through which the car wash industry can come together and ensure our concerns are taken seriously. It is open to all businesses that share our ambition and we are keen to bring on board many more of our colleagues.”
Contact:
Shane Brennan Public Affairs and Communications Manager
ACS
01252 515001 / 07921 372978
Rachel Lawson Communications Co-ordinator
ACS
01252 515001
Michael Saxton Grappa PR
020 7602 9222
Notes to Editors:
1. The group is chaired by David Charman of Parkfoot garage Group, and the secretariat is the Association of Convenience Stores.
2. Members so far include Lakeside Group of Companies, Total, Esso, Wash-Tec, Wilco-matic, Car Wash UK, Ryko Istobal and ACS.
3. A legitimate car wash which uses 120 litres of water, will use only a quarter of what would be wasted by a person washing their car at home (approx 480 litres).
a. It is due to this wastage that washing a car at home is banned in other countries, such as Germany.
4. Car Washes on forecourts sites have to comply with environmental standards before they are issued with an Environmental Permit, allowing them to operate. The Pollution Prevention Guidelines can be found on The Environment Agency website: www.environment-agency.gov.uk.