Springtime means it's time to bring the lawnmower out of hibernation, and South Carolina environmental officials say residents can swap their old equipment for something friendlier to the environment.
/ FILE
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Springtime means it's time to bring the lawnmower out of hibernation, and South Carolina environmental officials say residents can swap their old equipment for something friendlier to the environment.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control says an annual exchange program gives people the chance to get a discount on an electric lawnmower when they turn in their gas-powered devices.
DHEC's Myra Reece says a riding, gas-powered mower emits as much hourly air pollution as 34 cars.
Lawnmowers collected at the event are recycled. Since 2007, Reece says more than 1,300 gas-powered mowers have been recycled, cutting emissions equal to removing over 230 cars from state highways.
