MNN - Mother Nature Network

Car washes are sometimes associated with wasted water and energy, not to mention environmentally questionable chemicals. But some car wash companies are changing that perception with strong sustainability efforts that include eco-friendly wash products. Cactus Car Wash, a company founded in 1996 in South Carolina, addresses environmental concerns in three ways.

 

In this video, CEO of Cactus Car Wash Lennox D. Bundy II explains how the car wash chain is expanding a commitment to customer service and environmental concerns by conserving water, limiting electricity consumption and using less harmful products.

 

"Cactus Car Wash and our employees are very proud of the fact that we provide great customer service, provide clean vehicles and do it in an environmentally friendly way," says Bundy.

 

Thanks to updated technology, Cactus Car Wash now recycles almost 100 percent of its water, losing only a small amount to evaporation and runoff. A trench beneath each car wash leads to a series of tanks that clean and filter the water. By the time the used water flows through the final tank, it's ready to be pumped back to the surface to wash more vehicles.

 

Another sustainability push eliminates phosphates, chlorine bleach and other environmentally harmful substances that are often found in car wash products. Cactus Car Wash uses the EnviroEdge line by Zep, which is formulated with biodegradable surfactants and produced through low-impact manufacturing processes that use less water. The cleaning products are delivered in 55-gallon drums, which are picked up and recycled.