PP&L, Inc. and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection have joined together in a program to reduce the use of gasoline-powered lawnmowers and improve the quality of air in Lancaster County.

"On several occasions last summer, air quality in Lancaster County deteriorated to unacceptable levels," said Lynn Ratzell, PP&L's manager-Environmental Management. "To help improve air quality, the state DEP approached PP&L about joining a program to encourage county residents to trade in their gas mowers for electric ones.

"Gas-powered mowers produce relatively high emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds," he noted. These substances react with summer sunlight to produce ground level ozone -- a major component of smog that can cause breathing problems and other negative health effects. Emissions from generating electricity to power electric mowers are much lower than those from the equivalent gas-powered mowers.

The result of the PP&L-DEP partnership is the county's first lawnmower recycling day, which will be held Saturday (4/18) at PP&L's Lancaster Service Center, 1701 Manheim Pike, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The first 400 Lancaster County residents who turn in a gasoline-powered lawnmower in working condition Saturday will receive a special coupon that can be mailed to PP&L along with a copy of the cash register receipt for their new electric mower to get the rebate. Rebates of $75 toward the purchase of an electric lawnmower with a cord, or $100 toward a cordless mower will be available.

PP&L will have the gas mowers shredded and recycled into new steel.

"After PP&L receives the coupon and the copy of the cash register receipt for the new electric mower, we'll mail the rebate check," said Larry Downing, PP&L's Lancaster area community development director. The rebate offer is limited to one per family.

Sample electric mowers will be on display the day of the event and refreshments will be served, Downing said.