FY21 MOWING DOWN POLLUTION WORK PLAN V.2_5042020.PDF
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Maricopa County Air Quality Department
Phone: 602.506.6010
Email: AQmail@mail.maricopa.gov
Maricopa.gov/AQ
CleanAirMakeMore.com
Lawn Mower Program Work Plan
Page 1 of 6
FY21 VOLUNTARY LAWN AND GARDEN EMISSIONS
REDUCTION PROGRAM WORK PLAN -
Mowing Down Pollution
MARICOPA COUNTY AIR QUALITY GOALS AND PRIORITIES
Maricopa County continues to experience an expanding residential housing market and therefore, the
usage of lawn and garden equipment play a notable role in the emissions profile of the County.
Emissions from lawn and garden equipment are responsible for a considerable amount of all non-
road emissions. Currently, the County is in non-attainment for ozone, for which the precursors are
nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). According to the Maricopa County
2017 Ozone Periodic Emission Inventory, the lawn and garden equipment category accounts for
2.99% of all non-road NOx emissions and 34.47% of all non-road VOC emissions. The County was
previously in non-attainment for carbon monoxide (CO) and 43.24% of nonroad CO emissions can
also be attributed to lawn and garden equipment.
2017 Emissions from non-road lawn and garden equipment, as a percentage of:
VOC
CO
NOx
All non-road emissions
34.47%
43.24%
2.99%
LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGIES
According to the EPA, approximately 121 million pieces of lawn and garden equipment are estimated
to be in use in the United States of which, lawn mowers are the most numerous.1 The advent of new
four-stroke mowers has created improvements in terms of efficiency as well as reduced emissions,
however, older two-stroke mowers are still in operation and most lack any type of emission control
technology. The replacement of gasoline powered lawn mowers with an electric equivalent will reduce
the aforementioned pollutants as well as eliminate some of the indirect air pollution that comes along
with maintaining and operating a gas powered unit. The EPA estimated that approximately 70,000
tons of gasoline was spilled in 2005 while refueling non-road equipment using portable fuel containers,
which resulted in additional VOC emissions.2
Electric lawn mowers and other electric lawn equipment have come a long way in the past decade.
Their rising popularity has motivated some of the more prominent manufactures in the industry to
develop cost effective options that are well within the grasp of the average consumer. Technological
advancements in lithium batteries have closed the performance gap between electric and gas powered
counterparts. Cordless options are also becoming more standardized, allowing for more user friendly
operations.
1 Banks, J. L., PhD, & McConnell, R. (n.d.). National Emissions from Lawn and Garden Equipment (Environmental
Protection Agency). Retrieved December 18, 2017
2 Environmental Protection Agency. (2012, June 8). Estimating emissions associated with portable fuel containers
(PFCs). Retrieved December 18, 2017.
Lawn Mower Program Work Plan
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ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) will be responsible for the overall
administration, management and implementation of the Voluntary Lawn and Garden Equipment
Emissions Reduction Program in accordance with A.R.S §49-474.02. MCAQD developed the
program and launched it in June 2018 as the Mowing Down Pollution Program. Operations include
data and document collection, financial management, outreach, necessary coordination for the
retirement of replaced equipment, and providing progress reporting as described in the table below.
In addition to allowing for the retirement of residential lawn mowers, A.R.S §49-474.02 also allows
for the retirement of commercial lawn mowers and residential and commercial lawn and garden
devices. Lawn and garden devices include leaf blowers, trimmers, edgers, and other similar equipment.
Commercial devices will be added to the program in FY22. Programming and project development
for commercial equipment will be completed in FY21 and is included in the work schedule below.
The MCAQD Director acts as the agent of the County for all emission reduction programs. Funds
are managed by MCAQD Finance, which receives and processes invoices and payments. The Grants
Programs Administrator will review and confirm allocation of expenses and ensure deliverables align
with the project scope and budget. All invoices will be reviewed and approved by the Grants Programs
Administrator. Final authorization and the timely scheduling of payment will be completed by MCAQ
Finance.
TIMELINE AND MILESTONES
FY21 Activity
Start
End
Mowing Down Pollution Program
NEW for FY21 - Commercial program development
Develop program policies and procedures. Establish
agreements with the County solid waste and equipment
services departments for disposal of hazardous waste and the
recycling of retired commercial lawn equipment. Develop
agreement with program vendor/s who supply commercial
mowers. Program commercial mower application software.
Prior to start of new FY, train program staff for launch on day
one of new FY. This includes Service Centers, Transfer
Station and currently Home Depot staff.
07/01/2020
06/30/2021
Outreach
Continue existing outreach efforts for residential mowers and
garden devices.
Plan implementation for FY22 rollout of commercial
component of program. This may also occur in FY21 if
program set up is complete and the ecomomy is receptive.
Program set up includes the programming of Formstack
software to include commercial mowers. Program outreach
materials and flyers will also be updated to prior to launch.
07/01/2020
06/30/2021
Collecting and evaluating applications and issuing
vouchers
07/01/2020
06/30/2021
Lawn Mower Program Work Plan
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Monthly Progress Reports:
1. Synopsis of program activities for the past month
2. Total number of voucher applications received per
month
3. Breakdown of total number of vouchers issued per
month for:
a. residential lawn mowers;
b. commercial lawn mowers:
c. lawn and garden devices
Monlthy reports shall be sent to Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality by the 15th day of the month following
program operation.
7/01/2020
6/30/2021
Prepare annual report for program including the following
items:
1. The number of lawn mowers and other lawn and garden
devices retired by brand and year of manufacture.
2. The cost-effectiveness of the program in terms of dollars
spent per ton of emissions reductions.
3. Any recommendations for improving the effectiveness of
the program.
4. The administrative costs of the program.
5. Total number of applications received by calendar year and
fiscal year
6. Breakdown of the total number of vouchers issued by
calendar year and by fiscal year for:
a. residential lawn mowers;
b. commercial lawn mowers;
c. lawn and garden devices
7. Total tons of each pollutant reduced per year for volatile
organic compounds, carbon monoxide, particulate matter
and oxides of nitrogen by calendar year and by fiscal year
8. Excel Spreadsheet with the following breakdown for each
voucher issued:
a. Device type (e.g. lawnmower, trimmer, chainsaw)
b. Year of Manufacture
c. Annual Usage
d. Emission Factors
7/01/2020
12/1/2020
Yearly Report
FY22 Activity (for planning purposes only)
Start
End
NEW for FY22 - Commercial program start
Prior to the start of the new FY, program set up will occur.
The commercial portion of the program is currently scheduled
07/01/2021
06/30/2022
Lawn Mower Program Work Plan
Page 4 of 6
to start on July 1, 2021. However it may occur in FY21 if time
allows.
Outreach
Continue existing outreach efforts for residential and
commercial mowers and garden devices.
07/01/2021
06/30/2022
Collecting and evaluating applications and issuing
vouchers
07/01/2021
06/30/2022
Monthly Progress Reports:
1. Synopsis of program activities for the past month
2. Total number of voucher applications received per
month
3. Breakdown of total number of vouchers issued per
month for:
a. residential lawn mowers;
b. commercial lawn mowers:
c. lawn and garden devices
Monlthy reports shall be sent to Arizona Department of
Environmental Quality by the 15th day of the month following
program operation.
7/01/2021
6/30/2022
Prepare annual report on program:
1. The number of residential and commercial lawn mowers
and other lawn and garden devices retired by brand and
year of manufacture.
2. The cost-effectiveness of the program in terms of dollars
spent per ton of emissions reductions.
3. Any recommendations for improving the effectiveness of
the program.
4. The administrative costs of the program.
5. Total number of applications received by calendar year and
fiscal year
6. Breakdown of the total number of vouchers issued by
calendar year and by fiscal year for:
a. residential lawn mowers;
b. commercial lawn mowers;
c. lawn and garden devices
7. Total tons of each pollutant reduced per year for volatile
organic compounds, carbon monoxide, particulate matter
and oxides of nitrogen by calendar year and by fiscal year
8. Excel Spreadsheet with the following breakdown for each
voucher issued:
d. Device type (e.g. lawnmower, trimmer, chainsaw)
7/01/2022
12/1/2022
Yearly report
Lawn Mower Program Work Plan
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ANTICIPATED PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AND MILESTONES
The Mowing Down Pollution Program focuses on decommissioning old lawn and garden equipment
as well as facilitating the ownership of new and cleaner operating equipment. The promotion of the
program continues from marketing through the Clean Air Make More website and associated social
media sites. Additional outreach occurs through monthly outreach events were program flyers are
distributed in English and in Spanish. The current program vendor also has posters in participating
retail locations.
PROGRAM BUDGET
*For more efficient program budgeting, MCAQD is requesting that any remaining
funds from the FY20 program be carried over into FY21. At this time, any remaining
funding balance would not be available until the end of the FY. The current balance
is estimated to be approximately $128,000 with three months remaining in the FY.
Estimated program usage based on past annual program participation
FY21
Device
Expected Voucher Usage
Total Annual Cost
Residential Mower Replacement
900 @ $150 each
$135,000
Residential Garden Device
150 @ $50 each
$7,500
*FY21 Estimated funding usage
$142,500
Remaining FY20 funds (estimated)
$128,000
NEW FY21 voucher funds
$100,000
Total FY21 voucher funding available $228,000
FY22
Device
Expected Voucher Usage
Total Annual Cost
Residential Mower Replacement
900 @ $150 each
$135,000
Residential Garden Device
150 @ $50 each
$7,500
Commercial Mower Replacement 60 @ $200 each
$12,000
FY22 Estimated funding usage
$154,500
Remaining FY21 funds (estimated)
$85,500
NEW FY22 voucher funds
$100,000
Total FY22 voucher funding available $185,000
* Does not include commercial mowers in FY21 which may be added before the FY ends.
SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAM
MCAQD will continue to provide program outreach and management including associated costs.
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality will continue to support the program by providing
voucher funding per a signedagreement. It is anticipated that the Service Agreement will be amended
annually to support the program. Commercial mowers are anticipated to be available next fiscal year
e. Year of Manufacture
f. Annual Usage
g. Emission Factors
Lawn Mower Program Work Plan
Page 6 of 6
as we are currently waiting for proposed program legislation changes to be considered. MCAQD will
continue to partner with additional county departments for mower/device collection and disposal.
MCAQD intends to continue the use of current grant program software (Formstack) and associated
established procedures for program application and tracking.