California Regulations Ban Gas-Powered Lawn Mowers: Tips for Lawn Care Businesses

California is making the switch from gas to battery-powered lawn mowers. You can offset gear costs with REFURN’s API shopping cart integration.

Californians must bid farewell to the era of preparing and starting the lawnmower multiple times just to get it running for a basic lawn mowing session.

Lawmakers at the state level aim to phase out the usage of gasoline-powered lawn tools, such as mowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, and similar devices, by 2024. The goal is to eventually replace all this equipment with battery-powered alternatives with hopes of protecting the environment.

The law aims to reducing the environmental impact of gas-powered lawn equipment. This includes addressing emissions that negatively impact air quality and human health. California lawn care companies facing the need to introduce new battery-operated equipment might encounter challenges during this transition. However, it can also represent an opportunity for them to adapt and prosper in this evolving landscape.

Don’t stress! REFURN has tips for lawn care businesses to navigate this change.

California Lawnmowers Shift from Gas to Batteries.

California’s recent legislation, Assembly Bill 1346, also referred to as California AB 1346, aims to reduce gas emissions, ultimately enhancing overall quality of life. The law will be applicable to all devices with less than 25 horsepower.

The state of California has previously implemented comparable regulations, including instances in 1991 in Los Altos, 1998 in Menlo Park, and 2005 in Palo Alto.

Earlier regulations primarily targeted mitigating noise complaints and lacked strict enforcement. In contrast, the current ordinance introduces more stringent measures, specifically addressing gas emissions from lawnmowers, pollution from leaf blowers, and other health-related impacts.

Advocates and critics of the bill have expressed their views, with supporters suggesting that the legislation can effectively operate without harming businesses, while opponents outline reasons for their belief that it is a misguided idea.

Supporters of the law aim to facilitate the introduction of new equipment by allocating $30 million to the budget, providing assistance to small businesses in making the transition

Critics argue that the legislation places immense pressure on landscapers to comply with challenging regulations. They contend that the switch may not significantly contribute to addressing climate change, but it could raise the overall costs of mowers and blowers, adding to the burden of handling product returns.

🔊Sound familiar? California recently passed a similar bill that requires mattress companies to provide California consumers with the option to have their old mattress picked up for eco-friendly disposal at no cost to them or to provide an opportunity for free drop-off of a used mattress.

Potential For Rising Lawn Care Costs

Yet, changing equipments isn’t exactly easy for most lawn care companies. A standard set to tend to a lawn requires a mower, blower and trimmer, which can cost up to roughly $1,000.

Looking statewide, with the many lawn care companies, that number can reach upwards of $50 million.

To ensure your business continues to operate seamlessly without breaking the bank, you’ll require some guidance and support along the way!

Fine, No Gas Mowers. So What’s Next?

Although the state government technically allows until 2024 (or until deemed feasible by the California Air Resources Board), it’s advisable to start preparing now to ensure your company is on the right track.

Even if your company is currently capable of swapping all gas-powered equipment for battery-powered tools, there’s a good chance that you’ll end up with a surplus of equipment that, due to the law, you can’t use.

❓ What is and isn’t allowed? According to AB 1346, the ban is for “small off-road engines,” and does NOT regulate the use of existing engines, but rather purchasing new ones, part of the phase-out strategy. Residents can’t purchase equipment with engines over 25 horsepower.

Gas or Battery, REFURN is Here to Help.

Fed up with figuring out how to dispose of a bulk package of gas-powered mowers and blowers? Whether it’s getting rid of your own equipment or helping customers that turn in theirs, it can be a hassle. You might attempt to haul it off on your own or explore ways to simplify the process.

Instead of letting the new law negatively impact your business, why not turn it into an opportunity? REFURN specializes in helping business process item returns by offering eco-friendly disposal, able to haul away various items such as furniture, televisions, grills, hot tubs, and crucially, used lawn equipment like gas-powered mowers and leaf blowers to help manage inventory space.

How can REFURN help?

REFURN is unique to many companies who can offer process return management because of our professional network of Loaders, unique API shopping cart integration and on-demand service.

Our system, also known API e-commerce integration, helps partners seamlessly align their current e-commerce strategy with REFURN’s item removal services. This allows companies to get a better hold on their returns so customers can easily enjoy their new items, like a battery-powered lawnmower.

At REFURN, we’ve already explored how a business can offer mattress removal to help reduce return rates and in the long run, increase revenue. While companies can offer free returns of old lawn equipment, why not help yourself? By partnering with REFURN’s services, you’ll have more time to efficiently turn a profit on all kinds of lawn care equipment returns.

Make Lawn Equipment Removal Work For You.

With REFURN’s optimization, lawn care equipment stores can not only become a trusted service in the state of California, but our interface can allow you to make money.

By joining forces with REFURN’s professional network of trusted Loaders that specialize in junk removal and assembly, customers won’t have to scramble and search around town to ensure they’re being taken care of.

Offer Eco-Friendly Services

Companies, using our API integration, can allow for customers to visit their website, store, or even call ahead to secure both removal or assembly appointments for new or old lawn care equipment, which is beneficial for lawnmower manufacturers. With our technology, you can handle everything online!

Here’s how REFURN would look in this scenario regarding California and gas-powered lawnmowers.

• REFURN will return items to the store.
• Process item returns to the customer with disposal, or recycling.
• Streamline your returns management with a reliable partner.

So sure, the new AB 1346 bill may seem like a damper on the day of those who handle lawns for a living, but why not try and take advantage? What seemed like a hurdle can be a money-making opportunity processing lawn mower returns with help from REFURN.

All About REFURN’s Professional Network.

Using our crowdsourcing network, REFURN deploys a large network of independently licensed and insured junk hauling professionals. Unlike other junk removal companies, we won’t give you estimates, but an upfront price when you contact us online.

We can take a number of different household items, like appliances, couches, mattresses, grills, televisions and much more. We specialize in being a trustworthy service that our customers can count on.. and that’s no different with our partners.

Partner with REFURN and watch your business thrive!