Lawn and Garden (Small Gasoline) Equipment
EPA has finalized a new emission control program to reduce hydrocarbon emissions from small spark-ignition engines by about 35 percent. The new exhaust emissions standards will take effect in 2011 or 2012, depending on the size of the engine. The final rule also includes new standards to reduce evaporative emissions from these fuel systems. These standards will reduce the harmful health effects of ozone and carbon monoxide from these engines.
This page provides consumer information, regulations, guidance, and compliance fee and certification data for ten categories of nonroad spark-ignition engines, ranging from lawn and garden equipment through airport service equipment. For the homeowner, there is information about maintaining a yard and lawn, while minimizing air pollution from spark-ignition engines. For additional information about our emission standards, see our Fact Sheet: Final Emission Standards for New Nonroad Spark-ignition Engines, Equipment, and Vessels | PDF Version (xx pp, xxK, EPA420-F-08-013).
Consumer Information
- Information on Imports of Vehicles, Engines and Equipment
- Small SI Engine Emission Standards: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions from Dealers and Distributors (PDF) (2 pp, 58K, EPA420-F-98-025, August 1998)
- Your Yard and Clean Air (PDF) (2 pp, 16K, EPA420-F-94-002, September 1996)
- Use of Reformulated Gasoline in Nonroad Engines (EPA 420-F-95-007, April 1995)
- Composting Yard Trimmings and Municipal Solid Waste (PDF) (151 pp, 6MB, EPA530-R-94-003, May 1994)
- Collecting Used Oil for Recycling/Reuse: Tips for Consumers Who Change Their Own Oil (PDF) (8 pp, 220K, EPA 530-F-94-008, March 1994)
Regulations and Guidance
See the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) for the full text of current regulations that apply to Small SI engines:
40 CFR part 90 Phase 2 Exhaust emission standards and compliance program; 2009 standards for evaporative emissions 40 CFR part 1054 Phase 3 Exhaust emission standards 40 CFR part 1060 Evaporative emission standards 40 CFR part 1065 Phase 3 Engine-testing regulations 40 CFR part 1068 Phase 3 General compliance provisions
- Final Rule: Control of Emissions from Nonroad Spark-Ignition Engines and Equipment (published October 8, 2008)
- Fact Sheet: EPA Finalizes Emission Standards for New Nonroad Spark-Ignition Engines, Equipment, and Vessels | PDF Version (5 pp, 205K, September 2008, EPA420-F-08-013)
- Presentation summarizing new rulemaking provisions (PDF) (31 pp, 721K, October 23, 2008)
- Final Rule (PDF) (348 pages, 5,468 K, published October 8, 2008)
- Final Regulatory Impact Analysis (PDF) (808 pp, 8.5MB, September 2008, EPA420-R-08-014) Instead of downloading the entire document, you can access individual chapters.
- Summary and Analysis of Comments (PDF) (480 pp, 3.1MB, September 2008, EPA420-R-08-016) Instead of downloading the entire document, you can access individual chapters.
- See the Proposed Rule page for the proposed rule, fact sheet, and technical support documents (published May 18, 2007).
- Proposed Emission Standards for Stationary Spark-ignition Engines (published June 12, 2006)
- Federal Register Notice | PDF Version (53 pp, 316K) [see 71 FR 33804]
- Fact Sheet
- Final 2005 Technical Amendments – Procedures for Testing Highway and Nonroad Engines and Omnibus Technical Amendments (published July 13, 2005)
- Fact Sheet: Regulatory Announcement: Changed Test Procedures for Nonroad Engines and Heavy-Duty Highway Engines | PDF Version (4 pp, 134K, EPA420-F-05-036, July 2005)
- Federal Register Notice:
Part 1, pp 40419-40468 | PDF Version (949K)
Part 2, pp 40469-40518 | PDF Version (938K)
Part 3, pp 40519-40568 | PDF Version (6.71MB)
Part 4, pp 40569-40612 | PDF Version (1.8MB) - Technical Support Document and Summary & Analysis of Comments (PDF) (115 pp, 1.7MB, EPA420-R-05-008, June 2005)
- See Proposed Technical Amendments for the proposed rule, fact sheet, and technical support documents (published September 10, 2004)
- Final 2004 Amendments to the Phase 2 Requirements for Handheld Engines (published January 12, 2004) | PDF Version (13 pp, 197K)
- Final 2002 Technical Amendments to 40 CFR part 90
- Federal Register Notice (published November 8, 2002) | PDF Version (208 pp, 1.1MB)
- Final Rule - Phase 2 Emission Standards for Handheld Engines (published April 25, 2000)
- Fact Sheets
- Final Phase 2 Standards for Small Spark-Ignition Handheld Engines | PDF Version (6 pp, 23K, EPA420-F-00-007, March 2000)
- Minor Amendments to Emission Requirements Applicable to Small Nonroad Spark-Ignition Engines and Marine Spark-Ignition Engines | PDF Version (6 pp, 17K, EPA420-F-00-008, March 2000)
- Federal Register Notice (PDF) (48 pp, 415K) or TEXT
- Final Regulatory Impact Analysis (PDF) (163 pp, 872K, EPA420-R-00-004)
- Appendix B 161K Excel or 54.7K Lotus 1-2-3
- Appendix C 437K Excel or 66.4K Lotus 1-2-3
- Appendix D 19.5K Excel or 14.1K Lotus 1-2-3
- Appendix E 209K Lotus 1-2-3208K Lotus 1-2-3
- Appendix F 37K Excel or 17.2K Lotus 1-2-3
- Summary and Analysis of Comments (PDF) (73 pp, 229K, EPA420-R00-005, March 2000)
- See Proposed Emission Standards for proposed rules, fact sheets, and related documents
- Fact Sheets
- Final Rule - Phase 2 Emission Standards for Nonhandheld Engines (published March 30, 1999)
- Federal Register Notice | PDF Version (49 pp, 405K)
- Fact Sheet (PDF) (5 pp, 22K, EPA420-F-99-008, March 1999)
- Summary and Analysis (PDF) (317K)
- Regulatory Impact Analysis (PDF) (469K)
- Regulatory Impact Analysis Appendices
- Appendix C (PDF) (7K) or 72K Lotus 1-2-3
- Appendix E (PDF) (7K) or 243K Lotus 1-2-3
- Appendix F (PDF) (8K) or 32K Lotus 1-2-3
- Docket Index (PDF) (88K)
- See Proposed Emission Standards for proposed rules, fact sheets, and related documents
- Public Workshop on Phase 2 Nonroad Small SI Engines - May 26, 1999
- Presentation Material (142K, PowerPoint)
- Dear Manufacturer Letter
- Final 1997 amendments related to Replacement Engines Final Rule Federal Register Notice (published August 7, 1997)
- Final 1996 Amendment to Phase 1 Carbon Monoxide Standard for Nonhandheld Engines (published November 13, 1996)
- Link to Final Rule November, 13, 1996
- June 1996 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ZIP WP51) (17K)
- Fact Sheet: (PDF) (2 pp, 10K, EPA420-F-96-005, June 1996) or 4K TXT
- Summary
- Final 1996 Amendments related to reporting requirements
- May 8, 1996 Revised Reporting Requirements, Nonroad small spark ignition & large compression ignition engines
- July 3, 1995 Phase 1 Small Engine Final Rule Phase 1 Emission Standards
- Small SI Engine Manufacturers Guidance Document (ZIP PDF) (226K)
- November 1991 - Nonroad Engine and Vehicle Emission Study Report (Publication no. EPA-21A-2001 or EPA460/3-91-002).
- Body of Report (PDF) (141 pp, 1.8MB)
- Appendices (PDF) (415 pp, 7.7MB)
Paper copies of this study are available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) - Publication #PB-92-126960.
Related Links:
- Green Landscaping with Native Plants, EPA Region 5
- Healthy Lawn, Healthy Environment: Caring for Your Lawn in an Environmental Friendly Way (EPA700-K-92-005, June 1992). This small EPA brochure gives tips on working with nature to grow a lawn that is healthy while minimizing the use of pesticides.
For further information or assistance regarding this page, please contact EPA's Assessment and Standards Division voicemail at: (734) 214-4636 or email: ASDinfo@epa.gov.