Replacing old lawn mowers with new and more functional models is a great idea, but disposing of them is not always easy. Keeping the old machines at home or in your garage is not the best option because you want to free up spaces and avoid storing equipment you may never use again.
However, where to dispose of an old lawn mower may be challenging, but this article is the guide you need. You will learn the best ways to dispose of old lawn mowers while keeping yourself safe. But, we will begin with the disposal methods to help you choose your most convenient place.
Methods Of Disposing Of Old Lawn Mower
Since you don’t get to dispose of old lawn mowers too often, you may have no clue about where to dispose of them near you. However, where to dispose of your lawn mower depends on the method of disposal you prefer, and below are the best options for safely disposing of lawn mowers near you.
Repair It
Sometimes, you only need to repair your lawn mowers to get them functioning well instead of replacing them entirely.
Therefore, you can consider taking your old lawn mower to a repair place close to you where technicians will help you examine the machine for any faults and also fix it or recommend fixes for you.
Taking your lawn mower to a repair place is also a good idea if you want to donate or sell it. Since it is best to present a functioning mower, you can repair it with them before giving it out or selling it.
Give it Out
Helping other people live a better life is one of the best things you can do to help your society grow, and this is why you should consider giving out your old lawn mowers since they are still functional.
Aside from helping others to live better, giving out your old lawn mower is more eco-friendly than throwing it away, and it helps keep people from the environmental hazards the machine can cause when you throw it out.
However, you should ensure the lawn mower you are giving out is functional or at least repairable. You should also inform the recipients if the mower needs repair, so they will be aware of its state and be able to plan on fixing it.
Turn It Into A Generator
Most times, lawn mowers are reusable when you repair them, though they may be less functional than when they are new. However, one of the options you can consider in disposing of your lawn mower is to repurpose it into a generator.
It is a bright idea to convert your lawn mower into a portable low, budget power generator, and it may interest you if you love taking up new challenges.
Ordinarily, you would think the process will be complicated, but it does not require a complex process, and you can do it yourself. The essential parts you will need for this project include:
- The motor
- Alternator
- Motor pulleys
- Batteries
- Belts
- Power inverter
- Mounting Brackets
- Electrical wires
- The lawn mower deck
With that in mind, you can follow the DIY guides on quickly building a low-budget power generator, converting a lawn mower into a generator, and using a DIY DC Alternator generator.
However, converting your old lawn mower into a generator requires some technical skills, but you can request the service of a technician at a lawn mower repair place.
Use A Trash Pick-up Service
If you cannot find where to dispose of your old lawn mower, you can try calling your regular trash company. Although regular trash companies cannot dispose of lawn mowers like household waste, they can help you find a place to dispose of waste like a lawn mower.
Some trash companies will be willing to remove your lawn mower and take it to the recycling center, but you may need to pay a fee for the service.
If this option suits you, you can call your regular trash company to know if they offer such a service and schedule a pick-up.
Recycle It
Lawn mowers are recyclable, and recycling is one of the safe disposal methods you should consider.
This disposal method may suit you if you can locate an E-waste recycling center close to you.
Scrap It
If you have the technical skill to convert your lawn mower into a generator, you may as well be able to scrap and sell it in parts.
Lawn mower parts often contain valuable metals such as: aluminium and steel, which you can sell at high rates to a scrap metal dealer.
You may choose to disassemble your damaged lawn mower and collect its metal components or seek the service of a technician at a repair place, but you will earn more money with the former.
Where To Dispose of Lawn Mowers
Where to dispose of lawn mowers depends on the method of disposal you want to employ. You can dispose of your old lawn mowers at the following places:
Lawn Mower Repair Place
A lawn mower repair place is one of the best places to dispose of a lawn mower. Although they are usually known for fixing damaged lawn mowers, they are also reliable when disposing of them.
A repair place can help you determine the worth of your lawn mower, so you can sell it at a reasonable price – if you choose. They can also help you sell your lawn mower to other customers who may need a replacement for their equipment. Leaving it to them for sale will help you save time and energy as you do not need to market the equipment to anyone – they do the selling for you.
Lastly, a lawn mower repair place can help you dispose of old lawn mowers that are no longer repairable. They may have an adequate disposal system that does not require your involvement. Also, they can store up the faulty mower and use some of its parts to fix other customers’ mowers.
You may also like to read our article on how to dispose of smoke detectors
Friends And Family
If you prefer giving out your old lawn mower, you can take it to your neighbors, friends, or family near you. You may need to ask a little to find someone who needs it close to you.
NGOs
You can also take your old lawn mower to NGOs or a local charity or give it to a local church, a school, an animal shelter, etc.
Recycling Centers
A recycling center is one of the best places to dispose of your old lawn mower. Electric mowers are classified as E-waste, and you can dispose of them just like other home electronics or electrical appliances.
Disposing of old lawn mowers at a recycling center is reliable and does not negatively affect the environment.
Depending on their terms, you can either transport the lawn mower to the recycling center or schedule a pick-up with them.
Some companies offering lawn mower recycling services are LOAD UP, WE JUNK, Lula, Ramsey County, and Lawn Mower Recycle.
You can locate other recycling centers close to you and helpful recycling guides at Earth911 if the companies above are far away from your location. When you find a recycling center near you, call them to learn more about their terms of operation.
In addition, dropping off your lawn mower for recycling may attract some charges, depending on your location and the recycling company you choose.
See Also: How to dispose of spray paints
Scrap Sites
Another place to dispose of your lawn mower is a scrap site near you. It is an excellent choice if you can disassemble the machine before taking it there to sell. You can also take the whole machine to these sites and sell it as scrap, but you will earn a little less than disassembling it. Therefore, you can search for how to disassemble lawn mowers online and learn from the step-by-step instructions and videos.
Most scrap metal dealers will buy your scrap lawn mower at metal rates, but the rate can fluctuate daily.
Things To Note When Disposing Of Lawn Mowers
Here are some things to note when disposing of your lawn mowers.
- Be open about the condition of your lawn mower, whether you plan to sell or donate it. The new owner must know the actual state of the appliance.
- Avoid dumping lawn mowers carelessly in your environment. Use the safe disposal methods in this post only.
- Drain oil from the lawn mowers totally before disposal and dispose of the oil properly.
- Ensure safety precautions before disassembling lawn mowers.
See Also: How to dispose of brake fluid
Conclusion
Where to dispose of your old lawn mower may be a challenge, but you can follow the guides in this post to perform safe and eco-friendly disposal.
