Lawn and Garden Equipment Retirement Program
The "Cut Down Pollution" Program was, again, a smashing
success! View the 2000 Cut Down Pollution Program collection
results. Over 889 pieces of lawn and garden equipment were collected
in 2000. A total of 194 tons of air pollution will be eliminated
annually as a result of the retirement and replacement of this
high-emitting equipment.
Operating a conventional gas powered lawn mower for one hour
can create the same amount of air pollution as driving a new
car 340 miles. That's from Tucson to the Grand Canyon!
To help "cut down" on this problem, the Pima County
Department of Environmental Quality developed the Voluntary Lawn
and Garden Equipment Retirement Program. The Program was funded
through Arizona State Legislation for 1998, 1999, and 2000. Currently,
there is no funding allocated for additional programs.
The 2000 "Cut Down Pollution" Program Collection
Results
The 2000 Voluntary Lawn and Garden Equipment Retirement Program
began March 23 and concluded April 8, 2000. During the 9 days
of collection (4 hours each day) Pima County Department of Environmental
Quality collected 889 pieces of gas-powered lawn and gardening
equipment from Pima County residents. An average of 25 units
of equipment were collected from the public per hour over the
total 36-hour time frame.
PDEQ collected 431 residential gas-powered lawn mowers, 234
commercial lawn mowers, and 233 other gas-powered gardening devices
(string trimmers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, chainsaws, etc.)
The fluids were drained from the equipment on site and taken
to the Tucson/Pima County Household Hazardous Waste Program for
recycling. The engines' crankcases were destroyed so the equipment
could not be reused and the remains of the retired equipment
were sold to a local recycler.
A total of 194 tons of air pollution will be eliminated annually
as a result of the retirement and replacement of this equipment,
based on information obtained from a local survey on hours of
use per year.
