Mowing is hands down the most challenging lawn activity. But its disposal is an even bigger headache to deal with.
We know most lawn mowers are rather large in size, and none of the parts can degrade naturally. In fact, a mower could carry toxic fuels and residues that can harm the environment if it ends up in a landfill.
When my lawn mower broke down a few months ago, I remember having to search high and low for the right tools to dispose of it. One of my friends recommended selling it, but I knew for a fact that the mower wasn’t usable anymore. I had utilized it till its last breath, and fooling a fellow gardening enthusiast didn’t sound right to me.
But after weeks of research, I’ve finally found a practical and eco-friendly method of getting rid of my broken lawn mower.
Hello there! I am Stacy Smith, and today, I’m going to talk about how to get rid of a broken lawn mower. I learned it the hard way, so you don’t have to.
Without further ado, let’s get going.
Before getting started, ask yourself, “Do you really need to dispose of your broken lawn mower?”
I mean, if the damage is not too big, you can always get a couple more uses out of it. Since a lawn mower consists of various components, sometimes you can simply replace the damaged part, and the machine will be as good as new. In case of such possibilities, you might want to reconsider your decision of discarding it.
But if you’re sure the lawn mower has served you well over the years and it’s finally time to say goodbye, here’s what you can do-
Before you come at me for contradicting my point, I’m talking about selling parts of a lawn mower as scrap. But you must disassemble and clean each of the components separately. To help you sail through the process, I’ve listed the steps for each part below-
First things first, make sure that the gas tank is completely empty. You can do so by keeping the motor on until there’s no more gas left.
If that doesn’t work, you can use a siphon hose to collect the gas without wastage. Then, store it in a clean and tight container.
Ensure you are wearing gloves before proceeding with this step. Extract the spark plug and tilt the mower sideways. Take off the blade to clean and store it separately for sale.
Keep in mind that a riding lawn mower will require a ramp for this step.
Place a container below the fuel tank till the reserved oil is completely drained out. Later, you can sell the oil to a repair shop where it can be used in various auto parts.
The deck of your lawn mower is likely to be full of grass, dirt, and debris. Use a brush to get rid of all the filth before selling it.
In the case of a metal tire hub, you must unscrew the nuts and bolts to remove the hub from the tire. You can use a plier or wrench for this. Again, ensure that you’re wearing gloves and goggles to protect yourself.
Detach the handle from the engine of the lawn mower. Use a screwdriver to remove any nuts and bolts further, and remove the engine. Both the handle and the mower engine can be sold as metal scrap.
Disassemble the rest of the metal components, if any. In the case of a riding mower, the foam and seat cover can be removed, and the entire metal chassis can be sold. Moreover, use a magnet to remove any extra part from the disassembled mower. Anything other than metal and non-metallic scraps and recyclable parts go straight to the garbage!
Recycling your broken or old lawn mower also requires going through most of the steps mentioned above. Additionally, you will have to remove the fluids left in the mower 24 hours prior to sending it for recycling. The basic idea is to keep the recyclable metal and non-metal components separately and ready for the process.
Some areas have pick-up service companies for recycling large items. Otherwise, you’ll have to take matters into your own hands...or your car (we recommend the latter)! But, remember- different types of lawn mowers need to be recycled differently. Take a look-
Since most push lawn mowers are entirely metallic, you can dump them in the scrap metal skip bin. If you visit a local recycling center, feel free to get chatty with the staff and clear any doubts. Plus, if the mower has a plastic bin, get rid of it before recycling.
This type of mower also goes to the scrap metal skip bin. However, you must ensure that the petrol tank does not contain any liquid and residue.
Classified as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), these mowers should be recycled with other electrical items.
Soon after I picked up gardening as a hobby, I found myself becoming more and more environmentally conscious. From switching to a bucket for showering to using my dishwasher and washing machine only for full loads- small steps form big changes.
Knowing that my broken lawn mower has found its purpose, albeit disheveled, in someone else’s garage gives me much relief. More so because the process caused no harm to the environment I’m so passionate about. I guess it’s safe to say I’ve got more than just a green thumb! And that’s all for today, folks. I’ll be back with more, so stay tuned.
Until next time!
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