The City of Evanston and local businesses will launch a “No Mower Pollution” promotion on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22.
The program, running through Labor Day, offers residents discounts on the purchase of environentally-friendly lawn mowers when they scrap their old gas guzzling, oil eating, air-polluting mowers.
Community members can take mowers to Lemoi Hardward or Northshore Towing and obtain discounts toward environmentally-friendly products.
Lemoi Hardware, 1008 Davis, (847) 328-4900, will dispose of gasoline and oil inside mowers that are dropped off at their location Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Lemoi offers discounts on a variety of electric and push mowers it sells and also offers discounts to individuals who can show proof they have appropriately scrapped their mowers elsewhere.
Community members must remove gas and oil prior to dropping off mowers at Northshore Towing, 2527 Oakton, (847) 864-2828, and should call first before making their drop-offs Monday through Saturday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Anyone who does not want to purchase a Lemoi product or who drops off mowers at Northshore Towing or at any other drop-off site can take the drop-off receipt to the city’s Department of Health and Human Services, on the ground floor of the Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave., to obtain other discount offers.
Lawnmower exhaust is full of hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds. An Environmental Protection Agency study found approximately 9 percent of some types of air pollution nationwide comes from the small engines required to run lawn and garden equipment. In metropolitan areas, the concentration of lawns causes this number to increase in some instances to 33 percent.
More information about the program is available by calling (847) 866-2947.