Gas-powered lawn equipment releases anything from damaging particulate matter to toxic volatile chemicals. Use of the equipment has led Dallas County to be one of the most polluted areas in the country for gas-powered lawn equipment emissions.
That’s according to a new report from the Environment America Research and Policy Center and two other environmental groups.
The report says commercial lawn equipment was “responsible for two to four times the total amount of pollution as residential equipment.”
In 2020, lawn equipment powered by gasoline and other fossil fuels “released more than 30 million tons of carbon dioxide” into the atmosphere. That’s more than all greenhouse gas emissions from the city of Los Angeles, according to the study.
And at the same time, the equipment released 245 tons of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5). That’s equivalent to the same pollution that over 2.5 million cars release.
Particulate matter is made up of tiny particles that, when inhaled, can cause severe and damaging health conditions. Researchers say that long-term exposure to PM2.5 can lead to asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer.
Commercial lawn equipment was responsible for the majority of (82%) of all PM2.5 emissions from lawn equipment, according to the report.
In addition to health effects, the groups say climate pollution is another major byproduct of traditional lawn equipment.
“Lawn and garden equipment is also a significant source of carbon dioxide, the leading cause of global warming,” the report said. “In 2020, lawn equipment in the U.S. emitted more than 30 million tons of carbon-dioxide.”
That’s more than all the carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions from the city of Los Angeles in 2021, according to the report.
And researchers say the release of carbon dioxide contributes to “ground level ozone, the main ingredient in smog.”
“Florida led all states in in [nitrogen oxides] releases from lawn equipment, followed by Texas, California, New York and Illinois,” according to the report.
The report urges municipalities to think about switching from traditional lawn care tools to other equipment that’s powered electronically.
“Electric lawn equipment is cleaner, quieter and, over lifetime of use, often cheaper than fossil fuel-powered options,” the report says.
The environmental groups who authored the study say they want local governments to consider phasing out fossil fuel powered lawn equipment or restricting the use of the tools to certain situations.
And they say elected officials should consider trying to create a financial incentive for the switch from gas-powered to electric tools.
But municipalities in Texas may not be able to fully restrict the equipment. Senate Bill 1017, signed into law earlier this year by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, essentially says elected officials can’t ban the use or sale of any equipment based on its fuel source.
Got a tip? Email Nathan Collins at ncollins@kera.org. You can follow Nathan on Twitter @nathannotforyou.
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