Since 1995, chainsaw manufacturers have been building engines to meet Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards. What contractors may not know is the cost of a chainsaw also depends on its emissions durability. Andy Kuczmar, senior director of product training and support, Echo, Lake Zurich, Ill., says a contractor can find this information on the EPA-required sticker located on the machine.
This sticker identifies which of the three emission durability periods the chainsaw belongs to. It will either say Category A, Category B, Category C or Category 300, Category 125, Category 50. Many contractors are unaware what this coding represents. Here is a breakdown:
- Category A and category 300. The designation means users will get a
minimum of 300 hours of environmentally clean running time before the engine starts to pollute. - Category B and category 125. Users will receive a minimum of 125 hours of running time before the engine starts to pollute.
- Category C and category 50. Users will receive a minimum of 50 hours of
running time before the engine starts to pollute.
When choosing a new chainsaw, two models may appear exactly alike except for a $50 price difference. Upon further inspection, the EPA emissions sticker often will identify the more expensive model as the one with a longer emissions durability period.