How about the 2-cycle engine in general? Emissions, noise, endangering those poor souls forced to use one for work?
Egads! BAN IT! I was about to start a leaf blower thread but I guess I can put it here! 2-Cycle Engine Pollution "...I'd still like to see some numbers. How much pollution is generated in a snowmobile-hour?" Billie asks. Mobile pollution sources contribute significantly to the risk of cancer, the emission of particulates that result in heart and lung disease and the creation of ground level ozone or smog that triggers asthma and causes respiratory irritation and lung impairment. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) estimates that gasoline-burning engines in recreational vehicles such as snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles, boats and personal watercraft are responsible for approximately 13% of the hydrocarbons (chemicals from unburned fuel) emitted by mobile sources. As a category, these non-road engines are growing as a source of air pollution. In Minnesota, it is estimated that 14% of benzene emissions from mobile sources come from off-road 2-cycle engines, while 10% comes from off-road 4-cycle engines. Looking at overall exhaust, 2-stroke engines are responsible for 32% of all of the mobile source hydrocarbons! This is highly disproportionate to their use. However, unlike automobile engines, which have been continuously modified for decades to increase efficiency and reduce emissions, the 2-cycle gasoline engine has not been improved significantly since it was introduced in the 1940’s. 2-cycle gasoline engines, which take in fuel and emit exhaust in the same stroke, still dump from 25-30% of their fuel unburned directly into our environment. 2-stroke engines also emit particulates in amounts up to 45 times greater than diesel engines. 2-cycle engines are still used in many vehicles – snowmobiles, personal watercraft, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), lawnmowers, garden equipment and outboard motors for boats. According to the National Park Service, a 2-stroke snowmobile produces 300 times more hydrocarbons than driving an automobile. One hour on a typical snowmobile emits more air pollution than driving a modern car for a year. Studies show that a 2-stroke personal watercraft engine operating for seven hours produces the same amount of cancer-causing and smog-forming pollutants as an automobile being driven over 100,000 miles. Each year, marine 2-stroke motors spill 15 times more oil and fuel into waterways than did the Exxon Valdez. A 2-cycle gasoline-powered lawnmower pollutes as much in one hour as 40 new model cars. Nationwide, there are 89 million small 2-stroke engines in lawn and garden equipment directly exposing users to emissions. Outboard motors, snowmobiles and personal watercraft can all be purchased with cleaner, quieter 4-cycle engines. According to U.S. EPA comparisons of 4-cycle and 2-cycle recreational vehicles, a 2-cycle engine emits 30 times more hydrocarbons (benzene, butadiene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and 40 times the particulate matter as does the more efficient 4-cycle engine. Other hydrocarbons disproportionately emitted by 2-cycle engines react with sunlight to form smog, particularly in hot, sunny weather. Smog irritates the respiratory system and can have serious health effects on people with lung disease or susceptibility to asthma. Breathing smog can cause permanent lung damage to children. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has previously written rules that phase out 2-cycle engines in lawnmowers and that set emission standards for most other off-road engines. These rules are being phased in over the next several years. Recently the U.S. EPA proposed new rules for 2-cycle engines in snowmobiles, all terrain vehicles and personal watercraft. These proposed rules are weak; they don’t set standards clean enough to require the phase-out of 2-cycle engines. They also don’t require an emissions labeling system to permit consumers to know how much pollution a vehicle emits before they buy it. You can reduce health risks to yourself and your family from exposure to 2-cycle engine exhaust while improving air quality. Choose cleaner alternatives in your home and yard. Use hand-powered or electric lawn and garden equipment. Help educate your neighbors that there are cleaner and quieter alternatives by loaning your equipment. If you use boats with outboard motors, personal watercraft, all terrain vehicles or snowmobiles, make sure they have 4-cycle engines. Ask your dealer to carry these cleaner, more efficient engines. Reduce recreational vehicle miles by canoeing, rowing, hiking and cross-country skiing as a form of recreation. http://www.hikersforcleanair.org/papers/2cycle.html
