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Why switch to electric landcare equipment?
In 2018, the City Council committed to reducing citywide greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. Replacing gas-powered landcare equipment with electric is a component of our plan to achieve this goal. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, switching to electric landcare equipment will improve our health and enhance our ecosystem by reducing the quantity of harmful pollutants released into the air, soil, and water.
While more than 100 U.S. municipalities have adopted restrictions on gas-powered equipment, South Portland is not mandating a restriction. We see the market shifting on its own as advances in technology and availability have already made electric handheld leaf blowers a viable alternative to their gas-powered counterparts, both in terms of function and cost.
Gas-powered landcare equipment generates loud noises which are disruptive to residents and can result in serious health concerns for operators, such as hearing loss, reduced cognitive performance, heart disease, and hypertension.
In addition to GHG emissions, using gas-powered landcare equipemnt releases harmful pollutants into the air and soil, including carbon, nitrogen, reactive organic gases, and dust particulates.
It also contributes to the formation of ozone, an increasing air pollutant of concern for coastal Maine communities. Ozone exposure can result in an increased risk of asthma, lung infections, and damage to the airways.
Two-stroke engines, commonly used in lighter-weight, handheld landcare equipment such as leaf blowers and string trimmers, pose a unique environmental hazard. They emit a higher level of emissions and pollutants than larger engines because they do not have an independent lubricant system, meaning fuel and oil are mixed. Due to this, about 30% of the fuel does not combust completely, releasing toxic gases into the air.
Did you know? Just one hour of using a gas-powered leaf blower emits the air pollution equivalent to driving 1,100 miles.
You do not need to buy an electric tool to transition away from gas-powered equipment. We opened the South Portland Electric Tool Library (SPETL) at the Transfer Station (929 Highland Ave) in 2023 with 18 pieces of electric lawn equipment including lawn mowers, leaf blowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, and edgers. The SPETL is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10:00 am- 3:00 pm and allows residents to borrow an electric tool for up to a week at a time, free of charge, using their South Portland Library card.
Safe and affordable lithium-ion battery disposal exists, and is evolving as more and more items use this technology. Maine law 38 MRSA § 2165 requires manufacturers to establish a collection system for rechargeable batteries that weigh less than 11 lbs. Electric equipment manufacturers work with Call2Recycle, a battery recycling and stewardship program, which sets up free battery recycling programs at retail locations. These free collection sites are available at most major hardware stores, including Home Depot and Lowe’s. At these locations, anyone can drop off a lithium-ion battery that weighs less than 11 lbs. This includes practically all rechargeable batteries that are used in leaf blowers.
Rechargeable batteries that weigh more than 11 lbs are considered “mid-format” and have more extensive management requirements. Many manufacturers of electric landcare equipment have opted to help fund a collection program for mid-format batteries. All of these manufacturers include a phone number on their batteries that a consumer can call to locate the nearest battery collection site. The Lowe’s in Windham, ME is the nearest current location where a mid-format battery can be recycled at no cost. Additionally, Sustainability staff confirmed with Environmental Projects Inc., the company that the City contracts with for the household hazardous waste events, that mid-format batteries can be collected during HHW annual events.