Brussels, 29/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - Last week the European Commission adopted a draft directive to limit the emissions of air pollutants from small machinery equipped with petrol engines, such as lawn mowers, chain saws, bush cutters, trimmers an snow removal equipment. The Commission proposes to impose new norms on small machinery of this kind. These standards, drawn up in collaboration with the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA), should make it possible to reduce up to 85% of the emissions from such engines, it is announced in a Commission press release. The directive would be applied in two stages, the first 18 months after entry into force of the Directive and the second between 2004 and 2010 depending on the category of the engine. The Commission assures that the technological progress achieved for strengthening the environmental standards of such machinery will allow 30% fuel savings.