What happens to hydraulic fluids when it enters the environment?
• Hydraulic fluids can enter the environment from spills, leaks in machines that use them, or from storage areas and waste sites. • If spilled on soil, some of the ingredients in hydraulic fluids will stay on top and others will sink into the groundwater. • In water, some hydraulic fluids’ ingredients will transfer to the bottom and can stay there for more than a year. • Certain chemicals in hydraulic fluids may break down in air, soil, or water, but how much breaks down isn’t known. • Fish may contain some hydraulic fluids if they live in contaminated water.
