Are leaf blowers bad for your health?

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, exhaust from gas-powered leaf blowers contains hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides — components of smog — plus carbon monoxide and particulate matter, all of which are known to harm people’s health.

Why cities are banning leaf blowers?

Whereas, the Air Quality Management District (AQMD) in its twenty year Clean Air Plan recommends a ban on gasoline powered blowers…Now, therefore, the city council does ordain…Internal combustion engine (gasoline) powered leaf blowers shall be prohibited in the city after March 1, 1991…

Can you use leaf blower inside house?

You should never use your leaf blower inside your house. A leaf blower can produce three hundred miles per hour blasts of air in a straight line, which is enough to blow out your door or window when this air blast hits one.

How many cities in the US have banned leaf blowers?

100 U.S. cities
But if blowers are loud, people speaking out about the issue have been getting louder, too—especially as more adults and kids work from home. More than 100 U.S. cities and towns now ban gas-powered leaf blowers or limit their use.

Why leaf blowers should be banned?

They’re a health hazard. They’re a hearing hazard. Most of all, they are an environmental hazard. And worst of all, there are viable alternatives: electric- and battery-powered leaf blowers that will do the job.

Are electric leaf blowers safe?

Not Breathing So Easy. Air pollution is a major danger all leaf blowers pose. Electric leaf blowers do not give off emissions, but they can still end up blowing debris and particulate matter, like old animal feces, into the air, where they can coat people’s clothing and be breathed in.

Can you dust with a leaf blower?

For inside the car, a powerful blast with a leaf blower is a quick way to remove any dust. Open the doors and blow in one direction to get all of the dust off the seats. You can also dust down the dashboard much more quickly this way. If it is a cloudy day, a leaf blower can help speed up the drying process.

What can leaf blowers be used for?

What Uses Can My Leaf Blower Have?

• Clearing Large Amounts of Leaves.
• Cleaning Rain Gutters.
• Dusting.
• Removing Shallow Snow.
• Clearing Puddles.
• Chasing Out Rodents.
• Drying Surfaces.
• Building A Foam Machine.

What is the controversy over leaf blowers?

Another argument against blowers is that they contribute to pollution. Complaints about leaf blowers have lead several cities to ban or restrict their use. Hundreds of cities already restrict how long and what time of the day you can use a blower.

Why do we need leaf blowers?

The New York Times’ Wirecutter notes, “Leaf blowers not only work faster than rakes and take less effort but can also perform many tasks that rakes and mowers can’t.” Plus, “[b]lowers can clean pine needles from a gutter, blow dust out of your garage, clear grass clippings from a driveway, or get leaves out of thick …

Are leaf blowers dangerous to your health?

One of the more obvious dangers of leaf blowers is the noise they generate. The more powerful the machine, the louder the noise, and if you don’t protect your hearing, you could suffer a hearing loss.

Why stop blowing leaf blowers at kids?

Let’s stop blasting allergens, toxins, pollutants and pathogens into the air at hurricane-force speeds by keeping gas leaf blowers out of our kids faces. We are a community of over one million moms and dads united against air pollution – including the urgent crisis of our changing climate – to protect our children’s health.

Are leaf blowers harmful to Greenwich residents?

Many Greenwich residents in the high density neighborhoods regularly endure the noise of neighbors leaf blowers from less than 50 feet away! Repeated and/or sustained exposure to high noise levels damages the nerve endings in the ears and contributes to loss of hearing and deafness.

How much noise does a leaf blower make?

Gasoline powered leaf blowers create noise levels of 90-100 decibels at close range, and exceed the EPA’s recommended maximum noise level of 80 decibels even at 50 feet.