New York Sea Grant's
Marina Pollution Prevention Web Site

Section 5: Facility Management - Floor Drains

Potential Environmental Impacts

Repair shop wastewater typically contains chemicals such as oils, degreasers, gasoline, diesel, detergents, heavy metals and antifreeze. In some instances it may contain solvents. If discharged through a dry well or septic system to the ground, these chemicals may render drinking water supplies unfit for human consumption. If discharged directly or indirectly to surface water these chemicals can be toxic to fish and other aquatic life.

Best Management Practices

Avoid or minimize the use of any ammoniated, petroleum or chlorinated solvent-based cleaning agents. See Facility Cleaning Section, click here.

Sweep or vacuum floors often and immediately before floor washing.

Clean up fluid spills quickly with absorbent material. The absorbent must be disposed of properly. (See Regulatory Issues section below.)

Cover floor drains if there is a spill. There are inexpensive covers available for this purpose. For examples of drain cover and seal products, click here.

Permanently seal floor drains with concrete if they do not connect to a sewer or holding tank.

Regulatory Issues

Floor drains from mechanical shops must be connected either to a holding tank or to the sanitary sewer. You may not discharge this wastewater into a septic system or into surface or ground waters unless you have state pollutant discharge elimination system permit for the discharge.

Waste oil generated from oil/water separator wastewater from holding tanks must be tested for hazardous components and properly disposed. For more information on New York hazardous waste testing requirements, click here. If hazardous, the waste oil must be managed in accordance with hazardous waste storage and handling requirements [40 CFR 262.11, click here]. For more information on New York's Hazardous Waste Regulations and storage requirements, click here.

Absorbent used to clean up spills must be disposed of in accordance with the hazardous waste disposal requirements. To determine if used absorbent is hazardous, the generator must either have the materials tested or utilize reliable "knowledge of process" information for the waste (if available) [40 CFR 262.11, click here]. Such information could include information from product labels of the spilled materials. For more information on New York hazardous waste testing requirements, click here. If hazardous, cleaning product waste must be managed in accordance with hazardous waste storage and handling requirements [40 CFR 262.11, click here]. For more information on New York's Hazardous Waste Regulations and storage requirements, click here.