outdoor power equipment institute - opei: homeopei.org/content/uploads/2017/10/opei-q4-report.pdfin...

Outdoor Power Equipment InstituteEquipment, Engines and UTVs

Quarterly Report ● October 2017

www.opei.org ● 341 S. Patrick St. Alexandria, VA 22314 ● 703-549-7600

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE OPEI’s environmental stew-ardship and education pro-gram, TurfMutt, continues to reap rewards for the industry, now fundamentally impacting how government, NGOs and the environmental community view the managed landscape. A series of animated TurfMutt videos recently won a coveted

Cynopsis Kids Imagination Award, beating out Disney and Viacom/Nickelodeon, adding to its series of “wins” this year, such as its official education partnership status with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and earning a feature in PARADE magazine’s Earth Day issue. Now, OPEI is gearing up for yet another re-cord-breaking GIE+EXPO, which is expected to once again break records in attendance and exhibitor space. It’s widely known that if you aren’t in Louisville this week, you’re missing out on the largest industry gath-ering available. So, see you there! And, stop by the OPEI Booth (#29048). – Kris Kiser CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD EMISSIONS REGULATIONS2016 EVAP Rule Amendments: The California Air Resources Board approved the amendments to the evaporative emission regulation on Nov. 17, 2016. The amendments reportedly look to address small off-road engine compliance concerns largely by revis-ing certification and compliance testing for less-than 80-cc (non-handheld) equipment. The amendments will require that all less-than 225-cc engine powered applications are certified to diurnal emissions limits.

ARB’s Final Statement of Reason, the last step in the rulemaking process, was published Sept. 29. OPEI is still working through these final documents at the time of drafting these updates. The statement of reason is now at the California Office of Administrative Law for action and final approval. When final, manufacturers must comply with the amendments no later than the 2020 model year.

New 2020 Regulations: The 2020 rule looks to reduce exhaust emissions up to 80 percent and evaporative emissions up to 40 percent. OPEI handheld manufac-turers met with ARB staff in El Monte, Calif., in Au-gust. ARB staff noted that they will be initiating an up-dated population survey and technical feasibility study by the end of this year. The studies are expected to take a year. ARB will propose a draft rule in mid-2019, fol-lowing completion of both studies. ARB is organizing a Small Off-Road Engine Work Group call in October to review the population survey and technical feasibility study plan. OPEI will continue to engage ARB staff to assure industry participation throughout the studies and rule development.

LEAF BLOWER CODESFocused assaults on leaf blower use continues. Munic-ipalities continue to introduce new restrictions and bans on leaf blowers including Sonoma and Ojai, Ca-lif.; Palm Beach, Fla.; Newton, Mass., and Maplewood, N.J. Organized groups in several communities con-tinue to press for new restrictions and bans including Carson, Oak Park, Long Beach, Santa Cruz and Portola Valley, Calif.; Salem and Lincoln, Mass.; Greenburgh and New Hampsted, N.Y.; Seattle, Wash., and Wash-ington, D.C. OPEI continues to track ongoing issues, and research existing bans and restrictions across the




country. With the latest series of bans and restrictions, OPEI has identified 25 municipalities with gas-pow-ered blower bans (several of which include complete blower bans), and almost 100 municipalities that im-pose use restrictions on blower use, including limiting the use by time of the day, days of the week, and most recently for commercial use. OPEI research uncovered more than 100 outdoor power equipment-specific use restrictions in municipal codes. OPEI teamed up with National Association of Land-scape Professionals (NALP) at the May 9 handheld committee meeting to organize new strategies and ma-terials to combat new leaf blower code developments. OPEI is looking to work with NALP and Four Leaf Public Relations to develop a new tool kit for landscap-ers and leaf blower advocates to use when challenging proposed bans and restrictions.

TURFMUTT • Litton Entertainment has won the coveted Cyn-

opsis Kids Imagination Award for Best Interstitial Series for the TurfMutt animated series for OPEI and Scholastic. The Cynopsis Kids Awards honor the year’s best in children’s, tween and family con-tent. This year’s category also included work from Disney and Viacom/Nickelodeon.

• In addition, Litton also won Best Educational Se-ries/Special for Lucky Dog, which features Turf-Mutt and OPEI CEO Kris Kiser.

• Throughout the 2016-17 season, airing on CBS, Litton created a series of complementary animated videos for partners OPEI and Scholastic that were distributed in classrooms and via YouTube chan-nels and taught students, teachers and families how to take better care of the green spaces around them and the importance of living landscapes.

• The United States Green Building Council solicited OPEI for over a year to include the program in its global Learning Lab, including changing its legal contracts to meet our requirements.

• TurfMutt was featured in PARADE magazine’s Earth Day issue, with a circulation of 22 million.

• The author of a National Geographic-published book series, “Devoted,” “Best Friends” and “Loyal” (tales of extraordi-nary dog relation-ships with people) requested TurfMutt be included in her latest book.

• The Urban Habitat Council featured TurfMutt for the second time in its annual calendar.




U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE MEETINGHandheld manufacturers met with the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture Forest Service in San Dimas, Ca-lif., in August to discuss fuel-related issues. The Forest Service is considering a standard development activity to address “fuel geysering” in equipment when high RVP fuel is subjected to extreme forest fire ambient conditions. OPEI will host Forest Service representa-tives in December to continue discussions.

2018 ANNUAL MEETING OPEI’s premier annual event will be held at Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, in Bonita Springs, Fla., June 18-20. The meeting will feature two keynotes: Vivek Wadhwa, who was named by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the world’s “Top 100 Global Thinkers” and by Time magazine as one of the 40 most influential minds in tech, and Adam Steltzner, a NASA rocket scientist who led the team that invented the “sky crane” landing system that so spectacularly landed the Mars rover, Curiosity. Other sessions will focus on upcoming chal-lenges posed by a new regulatory scheme in California. Registration details are forthcoming. For immediate questions, please contact Director of Meetings Marla Popkin at [email protected].

MARKET STATISTICSSeventy representatives from OPEI member companies attended the second annual Market Forecast Forum Sept. 13-15 in Charlotte, N.C. The three-day meeting, which previewed the recently released OPEI Market Statistics Report, was the largest of its kind in OPEI history. During the meeting, the Market Statistics Committee voted to begin collecting shipment data on four new corded/cordless categories: pole pruners, pole hedge trimmers, cultivator/tillers and walk-be-

hind fixed-blade edgers. Data collection will begin this year. For more information, contact Vice President of Government and Market Affairs Dan Mustico at [email protected].

BATTERY AND ELECTRIC PRODUCTS COMMITTEE UPDATE• The Battery Electric Product Committee met Oct.

13 to review the final draft of the U.S. version of 60335-2-107 Robotic Lawnmowers. The IEC draft version was submitted for final review in April, and had been returned with editorial changes. These editorial changes also affected the U.S. version as well and were incorporated. Additional U.S. com-mittee comments were reviewed and the final draft is now ready for canvass review. The publication of the IEC version of the standard continues to be the pacing item. Expectations are that it will be pub-lished in late 2017, with the U.S. version soon after.

• The Battery Electric Product Committee has also initiated a Counterfeit Battery Work Group. This group first met in May to consider the issue and explore what solutions are already under consider-ation. The group is interested in a variety of ap-proaches and aims to minimize redundant efforts.

WORLDWIDE EMISSIONS AND REGULATIONS• Canada – Environment and Climate Change Can-

ada recently advised that the final off-road small engine amendments will be published this fall. The amendments largely harmonize with EPA and will continue to include the “sold-concurrently” pro-vision allowing EPA-certified products to be sold in Canada without additional certification proce-dures. The amendments will be effective for the 2019 model year.

• Europe – European Union Stage V, 2016/1628/EC




rulemaking has been finalized, including publica-tion of the Delegating Act and Implementing Act (April 2017). The stage V regulations harmonize with current EPA Phase 3, minus evaporative emis-sion requirements. Stage V regulations for small engines phase in between 2018 and 2021.

• Australia – Australian Parliament approved the overarching off-road engine emissions regulation in September 2017. Development work on the detailed regulations must still be finalized. Earlier reports noted emissions will be based on U.S. EPA regulations, including “sold concurrently” options with U.S. EPA and EU limits. Australia continues to push for a July 1, 2018, effective date. Austra-lia will allow sales (in retail after July 1, 2018) of non-compliant engines already in the country after July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.

• China – Stage 3 rule development continues. Lim-its are expected to align with U.S. EPA Phase 3 and EU Stage V. A determination on EVAP controls is still pending. The rule is expected to be effective for the 2019 model year. China also recently noted that the small engine fuel efficiency standard will be transitioned to a voluntary standard.

MEXICO HANDHELD SAFETY STANDARDS TASK GROUPIn 2015, Mexico published voluntary (NMX) stan-dards for chain saws, grass trimmers/brushcutters, hedge trimmers and backpack sprayers. Following the publication of the NMX standards Mexico drafted a rule (NOM) that would make the NMX standards mandatory. The draft was finalized in December 2015, and published for public comment until October 2016. OPEI provided formal comments on the draft NOM on December 22.

In response to the stakeholder comments, OPEI met with the Mexico Secretary of the Economy NOM Work Group and provided feedback. As a result, a final drat NOM was circulated the end of June and addressed most of OPEI’s concerns. The Secretary of Economy approved the NOM on Aug. 24. The NOM is expected to be finalized and published by the end of October.

STANDARDS ACTIVITYB71.10 Fuel Systems Committee – CSPC “Study of Fuel Leaks Associated with Outdoor Ground-Supported Gasoline Powered Equipment” Report. The Committee met in Sarasota July 25-26 to finalize the B71.10-201X draft for canvass and public review. The canvass review closed Oct. 13 and the public review closes Nov. 6. The committee will review comments in November and December. The committee expects the standard may be published in early 2018.

B175 HANDHELD STANDARDS• B175.6 Hedge Trimmer Standard – The B175.5

committee has finalized the draft hedge trimmer standard. The canvass review closed Aug. 4 and the public review closed Aug. 28. A list of substantive comments was received. The committee will review comments in November and December. A second canvass is likely. The committee expects the stan-dard may be published in early 2018.

• The B175.5 Edger Committee and B175.7 Powered Pruner Committee continue work on drafts. The committees expect drafts to be ready for canvass and public review early 2018.

• The B175.1 Chainsaw, B175.2 Blowers, B175.3 Grass Trimmers/Brush Cutters and B175.4 Cut-off Machines committees will reconvene at the De-cember meeting to work on the next revisions.




U.S. TAG TO ISO TC23/SC17The next plenary meeting of TC23/SC17 has been scheduled for March 21-22 in Stockholm, Sweden.

UPCOMING MEETINGS Oct. 18, 2017 – OPEI Board Meeting, Louisville, Ky.Oct. 18-20, 2017 – GIE+EXPO, Louisville, Ky.Oct. 24-25, 2017 – EGMF General Assembly, Venice, ItalyOct. 23-31, 2017 – IEC TC 116 and WG 10, Shanghai, ChinaOct. 30-November 1, 2017 – Ground Supported Prod-ucts Meetings, Sarasota, Fla.Nov. 3, 2017 – IEC TC 116 and WG 7, Shanghai, ChinaNov. 30, 2017 – Marketing Statistics Committee (Fore-cast), webinar

Dec. 4, 2017 – Engine and Fuels Committee, Alexan-dria, Va.Dec. 5, 2017 – Handheld Products Committee, Alex-andria, Va.Dec. 6-7, 2017 – B175 Standards Committee, Alexan-dria, Va.Dec. 13-14, 2017 – EGMF TC, Brussels, BelgiumJan. 29-30, 2018 – Winter Board Meeting, Eden Roc-Miami Beach, Fla.June 18-20, 2018 – Annual Meeting, Hyatt Coconut Point Resort-Bonita Springs, Fla.June 20, 2018 – Summer Board Meeting, Hyatt Coco-nut Point Resort-Bonita Springs, Fla.Oct. 17, 2018 – OPEI Board Meeting, Louisville, Ky.Oct. 17-19, 2018 – GIE+EXPO, Louisville, Ky.

outdoor power equipment institute - opei: homeopei.org/content/uploads/2017/10/opei-q4-report.pdfin...

Documents