Oil Drips and Rebar on the Playa

Oil Drips

As a part of the annual permitting process for the Burning Man event, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) evaluates the potential environmental impacts that temporary Black Rock City residents may cause to the playa and surrounding desert. In response to a concerned citizen's question about impacts, BLM conducted its own study to determine whether the event poses significant risks and whether additional measures are needed to mitigate the impacts. This survey revealed, in part, that "beater" cars are sometimes likely to drip oil, so BLM asked Burning Man to take appropriate action to minimize drips.

What can you do to prevent oil drips:

• Take your car in for a maintenance check before you get the playa to prevent potential messes.
• Lay a protective barrier between your vehicle and the playa surface. A pan or tarp will work, just be careful how you remove the barrier at the end of the event.
• Check for leaks during the week so you won't be cleaning up the entire mess at the end of the week.
• If you think that you're car might leak, bring a sealable container to collect the fluid at the end of the week. Check for oil recycling centers on the way home.

Removing Rebar and Tent Stakes

Rebar can be difficult to pull out of the hard playa surface, however, a buried tent stake doesn't’t disappear. It will slowly, inevitably, emerge from the playa. Then it might be found during the Bureau of Land Management's spring inspection, producing a black mark against permit renewal; or it might not be found until it tears a tire or gashes a foot – maybe during next year’s event or when another group uses the playa.

Here are a few suggestions to help you remove these hazards from the playa.

• Use a length of pipe to fit over the end of the rebar to bend it into a "J" before you hammer it in. Not only will this remove sharp ends that could hurt people, it will give you good attachment for guy lines and something you can grab when you're trying to pull it out.
• Bring a crowbar, pipe or something to pull it out with. The keyword here is LEVERAGE. Think Archemides, a fulcrum and moving the world.
• Use vise grips or crow bar to twist the metal a rotation or two, tap it a few times on the side with a hammer, and it should pull straight out. If you're still having trouble, ask neighbors for help. Don't forget work gloves.
• Stubborn rebar can be coaxed out of the ground by pouring some water into the hole. Wiggle the rebar around a bit to get the water all the way down the length of the metal. Sometimes, this is all it takes to do the trick.
• Whatever you do, DON'T leave the rebar behind, stuck in the ground. This is a Leave No Trace event, and part of the fun is the improvisation and community that comes from solving problems like getting that bastard out. If you can't get it out, ask someone to help you. Adapt. Be dogged and tenacious. Don't let it win.
• As a very, very, last resort, make the stake highly visible by fastening something to it. Someone else with heftier tools will be able to get it out.
• Remember that guy lines are almost as dangerous as rebar. You don't want to "clothesline" an unwary cyclist. Make guy lines more visible by sliding a short length (3- or 4-foot) of PVC over the line before driving peg into the ground. It CLEARLY marks both the line and the location of the peg, EVEN ON THE DARKEST NIGHT. When used with candy-caned rebar, it makes securing your structure fairly safe. (Thanks to Ray Leslie for this suggestion!)