Residents can apply to the participant lottery from May 6-12 to receive vouchers for electric lawnmowers, string trimmers, and leaf blowers

May 6, 2024

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Applications for Salt Lake City’s first landscaping equipment exchange run out of the City’s Sustainability Department open today. Salt Lake City residents can visit the City website to learn more about the program and sign up to participate in the lottery to potentially receive a voucher.

As part of the new Clean Air SLC program, the landscaping equipment exchange was recommended by Mayor Erin Mendenhall and funded for Fiscal Year 2023-24 by the City Council at $250,000.

“Improving air quality at the home and neighborhood levels is something I’m passionate about,” said Mayor Mendenhall. “This program does exactly that by helping residents make the switch from gasoline-powered landscaping equipment to all-electric, which immediately improves our air.”

The program includes several options and incentives residents can apply for. Eligible equipment includes lawnmowers, string trimmers, and leaf blowers. Residents can choose whether to recycle their existing gasoline-powered equipment for a higher voucher; or opt to purchase new electric equipment without recycling for a lower voucher amount. 

Applications opened at 8 a.m. Monday, May 6. The application period spans one calendar week and will close at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 12, 2024.  Residents will need to select the vendor they wish to use based on their needs and listed vendor equipment. Vendor selection cannot be changed after the application submission. 

Salt Lake City is partnering with the Ace Hardware locations at 612 E. 400 South and 477 N. 300 West, as well as the Home Depot at 328 W. 2100 South. 

After receiving an email notice of a successful application from the City, anticipated by May 17, residents will take their gas-powered equipment directly to their selected store to be recycled. Store associates will check participants’ approval confirmation from the City and a valid government ID. Participants will then receive coupon codes to make new equipment purchases. Further program details are described on the Clean Air SLC – Landscaping program website. 

“We are so pleased to partner with Salt Lake City on their landscaping equipment exchange program and help residents upgrade their gas outdoor equipment to the environmentally-friendly, high-performance options we have at our locally-owned stores in Salt Lake City,” said Jason Hurst, owner of the City Ace Hardware 4^th South and Marmalade locations. “Come on in—we are ready to help!”

“The Home Depot is excited to partner with Salt Lake City on this program to achieve the same goal of increasing cordless battery outdoor power equipment in Utah and to the rest of the country,” said Chris Mills, Store Manager for Home Depot #4403 on 2100 South.

According to the Utah Division of Air Quality (DAQ), using a gas-powered lawn mower for one hour produces the same amount of particulate pollution as driving a car 63 miles; using a gas-powered leaf blower for one hour is the equivalent of driving a car 727 miles; and using a gas string trimmer for an hour is the equivalent of driving a car 646 miles.

Please note that in previous years, Salt Lake City partnered with the DAQ on their equipment exchanges. This year is the first time this program is being designed, administered, and run out of Salt Lake City specifically for Salt Lake City residents.