Lawn and garden equipment with old two-stroke engines are a source of harmful greenhouse gases and smog-forming emissions. The goal of Mow Down Pollution was to retire and recycle old two-stroke engines and encourage the uptake of cleaner and more efficient alternatives. The program ran from 2001 to 2012, with the assistance of Automotive Recyclers of Canada (ARC).
Scout (formerly Summerhill Impact) representatives engaged and educated Canadians on the harmful effects of lawn and garden equipment with old, polluting two-stroke engines. Homeowners were encouraged to retire their old two-stroke engines at Home Depot locations across Canada and receive a discount on a cleaner more efficient alternative.
A total of 63,789 units of old lawn and garden equipment were responsibly recycled and 2,149 metric tonnes of GHGs and smog-forming emissions were prevented. The Home Depot saw increased sales of cleaner more efficient lawn and garden equipment throughout the program.