Why Do Lawnmowers Produce So Much Pollution?
Off-road vehicles such as lawnmowers, tractors, ATVs, UTVs, and so on. Are all part of a group that puts out an extreme amount of pollution and has a large impact on our environment. They can do this because they are not “on-road” vehicles. The EPA has put very little effort into regulating emissions on Off-road vehicles. Emissions are more than 30 times worse than on-road gas vehicles and efficiency is way down near 20%. Gas-powered outdoor power equipment is so polluting that the EPA has concluded that just one 2-cycle string trimmer can produce as many emissions in one hour as one full-size pick-up truck traveling over 3,000 miles!
According to an EPA study, a gas 24hp commercial mower puts out the same amount of emissions as 4,840 miles of car pollution each hour from mowing. That's not including smaller 2-cycle trimmers and blowers which can produce over 3,000 miles of car pollution each hour. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (FHWA), Americans drive 13,476 miles a year. One hour of mowing once a week during the mowing season will equal the pollution of 10 cars on American roads. According to the FHWA & the EPA.
COMMERCIAL ZTR GAS MOWER
24 HP COMMERCIAL MOWER = 88 CARS AT 55 MPH EMISSIONS = 4,840 car miles each hour.
24 HP MOWER @ 3.5 HRS (NATIONAL AVERAGE/DAY) = 308 CARS AT 55 MPH/DAY = 16,940 MILES CAR EMISSIONS/DAY
RESIDENTIAL GAS RIDING TRACTOR MOWER
18 HP RIDING MOWER = 66 CARS AT 55 MPH EMISSIONS = 3,633 car miles each hour.
18 HP RIDING MOWER at 1.5 HRS (NATIONAL AVERAGE/WEEK) = 99 CARS AT 55 MPH/WEEK = 5,445 MILES CAR EMISSIONS/WEEK