You can almost smell the fresh-cut grass in the air. Spring is around the corner and we will be getting our mowers ready to go to work. The gas you put in your mower is an important part of keeping your lawn looking great. A new study reveals that you need to be careful what you put in your mower's tank.
A recent Harris Poll notes that manufacturers of outdoor power equipment have warned consumers that most products are designed and warranted to run on E10, which is fuel with 10 percent ethanol or less. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it’s also illegal to use fuel with more than 10 percent ethanol in any outdoor power equipment.
“Higher blended fuels containing more than 10 percent ethanol can phase separate and damage the equipment,” explains Kris Kiser, president and CEO of OPEI, an international trade association of representing more than 100 power equipment, engine and utility vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. If damaged, Kiser says consumers may have to pay for costly repairs or replace equipment.
“What goes in your car or truck may not be safe to put in your lawn mower, and consumers are not paying attention and making unintended mistakes,” Kiser continues. “Yet pump labeling and consumer education are inadequate. As ethanol continues to be subsidized, more stations sell it. We’re concerned about consumer safety and choice.”
According to Poll, researchers have found that Americans are now more likely to believe higher ethanol blends of gasoline are safe for any gasoline engine (38 percent in 2018 versus 31 percent in 2017, 31 percent in 2016 and 30 percent in 2015). In the Peoria Area, we have found that the Phillips 66 stations are the only options for no ethanol gas.
“We believe this lack of knowledge is due to consumers blindly trusting that gas stations will only sell fuel that is safe,” says Kiser, citing that the poll found that nearly two thirds of Americans (65%) assume that any gas sold at the gas station is safe for all cars, as well as boats, mowers, chain saws, snowmobiles, generators and other engine products.
Other findings from Harris Poll include:
- Only one in five (20 percent, down from 25 percent in 2017) say they notice the ethanol content at a gas pump, with more saying they notice advertisements for specials inside (24 percent).
- More than half (51 percent) fill up their portable gas tank with the same fuel used to fill their vehicle.
- Roughly two-thirds (66 percent) of Americans admit they will use the least expensive grade of gasoline whenever possible.
- More than one-third of outdoor power equipment owners (35 percent) may be using stale fuel in their equipment as they admit to not running the tank dry or not draining the fuel out before storing it.
Source: Total Landscape Care
