Most people don’t run into the issue of how to dispose of a lawn mower very often, so it’s understandably a common question. Maybe your ‘ol trusty machine has reached the end of the line and has got to go, or maybe you’re going green and looking to trade in your current gas-powered mower for an electric model. In any case, one thing is for certain: when you have a mower that isn’t of use anymore, you’re not going to want it sitting around and collecting dust. Garage and shed space are super valuable so let’s get right into the conversation of how to dispose of an old lawn mower.
How to Dispose of a Lawn Mower (The Short Version)
If the mower still works, selling or giving the machine away are by far the best options. But, if the mower is out of commission for good, you’re going to need to dispose of it properly. For gas mowers, this means draining out all of the oil and gas before bringing it to a dump or scrap metal center. Electric mowers can be brought straight to a household electrical recycling center.
How to Dispose of an Old/Broken Lawn Mower
There are pretty much only two big conditions to consider when talking about getting rid of lawn mowers: either the lawn mower is still operational, or it’s broken. The way that you get rid of a lawn mower really depends on this factor. Let’s start by talking about what works best when you’re trying to figure out how to get rid of a broken lawn mower.
Scrap/Recycle It
How to dispose of an old lawn mower by scrapping or recycling depends on what kind of mower you’re dealing with. If you’ve got an electric mower, there is only one option: you’ll need to find the closest recycling center. I like to use the website: www.Earth911.com. You can search for the electronics category, enter your zip code, and the local hazardous waste site should pop up. If you’re lucky you won’t have to go too far to get to one.
If you have a gas-powered lawn mower there are a couple more steps involved. The first thing you need to do is drain all of the gas and oil into sealable containers. You will also need to figure out and gas. A lot of auto parts retailers will accept used oil, and you should be able to repurpose your gas in a different small engine.
Lastly, you should remove all of the plastic components on your lawn mower so that only metal remains. This can be a bit time-consuming but you don’t need a ton of special tools to do it. Once you’re down to just metal you can bring it into a metal recycling center that may even pay you for the scrap metal.
Throw It Away
Going straight for the garbage is not legal when it comes to electric mowers, but it is something you can do with gas mowers that have the oil and fuel drained out of them. Usually, you can contact your waste management company and arrange a curbside pickup. Waste management lawn mower disposal will probably involve a fee of some kind, but you will save a considerable amount of time by not having to disassemble and transport the mower anywhere.
Another way to toss your old lawn mower is by bringing it to a dump or transfer station. Again, you will need to make sure that you drain the mower completely in order for it to be accepted. Some transfer stations will accept the scrap metal free of charge but oftentimes you will need to pay something to throw away an old gas-powered lawn mower.
How to Dispose of a Lawn Mower that Still Works
Figuring out how to dispose of a lawn mower that still works is a matter of free time and urgency. Some people have a ton of free time and are able to weigh their options for a while, but some people will probably need to dispose of the mower right away. The way I see it, there are only two ways to get rid of a working mower: either give it away or sell it. Though this might seem cut and dry, both of these methods offer a few options.
Give It Away
What giving away a working mower refers to is simply passing it along to somebody in need or somebody that wants it. This could be donating the mower to a local charity organization, dropping it off at a neighbor’s house, bringing it to a local small engine mechanic’s garage, or even just leaving it at the curb with a “free” sign.
Giving stuff away for free is by far the easiest means of disposal. I sure like free things and so do most people I know. If you don’t need the money, you don’t have a lot of time, or you know someone that could really use a lawn mower, I’d go with this option.
Sell It
Listing your lawn mower for sale is another great option. With social media and other online platforms at your fingertips, you’ll hardly have to do any advertising. It’s usually as simple as snapping a couple of photos and describing the quirks your lawn mower has.
If you’d prefer not to use the internet and wait around for someone to swing by your house, you could try selling your mower to a mechanic in your neighborhood as well. You probably won’t get as much money from a mechanic but it will make the process of selling the mower a lot quicker.
Practices You Will Want to Avoid When Disposing of a Lawn Mower
Now that I’ve gone through the basic ways to get rid of a lawn mower, I should mention things that you definitely don’t want to do. Still wondering, is it illegal to throw away a lawn mower? Disposing of a lawn mower in the wrong way can certainly land you in some serious legal trouble. Also, not taking the correct measures when disposing of old lawn mowers can have some very harsh environmental impacts. Here’s more about what not to do:
1. Misleading Buyers/Giving Away Junk
One thing you should definitely avoid is purposefully not telling the truth to someone you’re selling your mower to, or trying to donate or give away a mower under false pretenses. Most used lawn mowers have some quirks or issues and there’s no harm in being upfront about that. Even if you’re giving the mower away for free you should definitely disclose any issues that you’re aware of. Passing along a piece of junk to someone just so they will be forced to pay to get rid of it is bad practice.
2. Illegal Dumping
Nothing is worse than driving around the area you live and seeing trash strewn by the side of the road or tossed down into ravines. Still, you can find garbage littered almost everywhere it seems. Believe it or not, there are some people that just drive their junk somewhere away from prying eyes and abandon it. Getting rid of a lawn mower this way can result in hundreds of dollars of fines and could even result in jail time. Not a good idea.
3. Tossing Full of Oil and Gas
I mentioned this before, but if you have a gas-powered lawn mower, be sure that you’ve totally drained it before trying to throw it away or recycle it. You could end up getting charged a lot more than what you bargained for if you don’t, and even cause some serious environmental damage.
4. Throwing Away Electric Mowers
Whatever you do, don’t dispose of electric mowers anywhere except the proper recycling center. Unfortunately, a lot of electrical recycling centers charge a small fee. But what they charge is out of necessity and it’s worth paying a few bucks rather than a huge fine anyways.
