How Safely To Get Rid Of An Old Lawn Mower

You may have developed a sentimental attachment to your lawn mower over the years. That's natural, because after all, the summer months fade into some of our most nostalgic memories. You probably remember rolling it off the back of the truck and testing that first circuit around the yard about a decade or more ago. But with each pass across the lawn, your mower gets closer to the end of its lifespan. There are a few signs that a mower needs to be replaced. The engine might fail to start more often than not or even produce excessive smoke. You might also notice that the machine isn't cutting the grass evenly. Once you encounter these problems, you may be thinking it's time to upgrade to one of the best riding lawn mowers and get rid of the old one — if that's the case, some retailers will dispose of your old one for you. Sometimes you can sell an old lawn mower or pass it on for free to someone who needs it, but there comes a time for all machines when they must be retired.

When it's time to dispose of an old lawn mower, it's recommended to take it to the nearest recycling center or have someone from the center come and pick it up. Otherwise, the machine will be an environmental hazard, not that it was ever doing the carbon footprint any favors in the first place. Some folks drive or tow their mowers out to the outskirts of their properties and leave them to the elements, where their tires will deflate and hoods will rust until they are little more than artifacts. This is a bad decision because the gasoline, oil, and batteries can harm the soil and water supply — not to mention, it's illegal. Also, never take a mower to the regular dump because they probably won't be equipped to handle it.

There are several types of recycling centers that will accept lawn mowers. The nearest metal recycling center or scrap yard will likely be able to take apart your mower, safely disposing of any environmentally toxic components. You can contact Earth911 or visit their website to access a database of waste disposal centers. This is helpful because you not only want to get rid of the mower, but you also want to ensure that it will go to a place that abides by environmental regulations. This is especially important if you live in any area with numerous tributaries that flow into a larger basin, like Tidewater, Virginia.

You can also visit your county's website to see if it has a municipal recycling center that will take lawn mowers. It's possible that the center only accepts large items on certain days, so you might want to call in advance. The service might charge for the pickup or have a disposal fee, but generally, municipal programs will handle the pickup and disposal for free.  Some areas also offer electric waste recycling services for electric lawn mowers. It's important that lithium batteries, in particular, do not end up in a landfill.

You'll want to drain gas and oil from the mower's motor beforehand and make sure to dispose of the fuel correctly. If you have a push mower and choose to transport it in your vehicle, be sure to put a mat or tarp down in case it leaks oil. And if you're interested in saving a few bucks on your next mower purchase, consider shopping for mowers before Black Friday.