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Department of Ecology News Release - July 19, 2004
04-138
OLYMPIA - Save money and help protect the air we breathe for only five bucks?
What a deal! It's easy and requires no special skills. And it takes just minutes, including a trip to the parts store.
What is this miracle of modern science? A new gas cap.
Replacing an old, leaky or missing gas cap will save as much as a gallon of gas every 15 days and keep about 165 pounds of toxic, cancer-causing chemicals per year from getting into the air.
A new gas cap pays for itself in less than three months.
But how do you know when your gas cap should be replaced? Sarah Rees, an atmospheric scientist and manager with the Department of Ecology's air quality program, suggests taking a good look the next time you fill your engine.
"Look for cracks in the plastic, worn or missing seals, or a cap that just won't tighten like it used to," said Rees. "And of course, if you don't have a gas cap at all, it's time to go buy one."
Older cars are more likely to have leaky gas caps. If your car was manufactured before 1987, consider replacing the gas cap even if you don't see any problems.
With some newer cars, the "check engine" light will come on if the gas cap fails to make a proper seal. Try to re-tighten the cap. If the light stays on after a couple of days, try replacing the cap.
In addition to saving money and helping protect the environment, modern gas caps can enhance safety by preventing gas from leaking out of the vehicle during an accident, reducing the risk of fires and explosion.
Last year in Washington, about 5 percent of tested vehicles were found to be using faulty gas caps. That translates to about 19,000 tons of chemicals, such as benzene, entering the air.
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Contact: Leslie Thorpe, public information manager, 360-407-6848
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
