Leaf blower ordinances and Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Bans
A few cities around here have banned gas-powered leaf blowers. Small engines can create a lot of pollution but leaf blowers are handy for larger jobs and blowing out gravel or rock mulch. I'd rather see a limit set for emissions, particulate matter, and decibel limit vs a blanket ban on all gas blowers. Landscapers and gardeners will be the hardest hit and it may be hard to clear large areas while relying on battery-powered equipment and switching to new equipment will cost money.
There are some cleaner new small engines like Makita's 4-stroke motor leaf blower and Lehr has 4-Stroke Propane leaf blowers that could be a good step between the most polluting engines and having to use battery-powered equipment. Echo, Ego, Greenworks, Milwaukee, Husqvarna, Red Snapper, etc. will be selling a lot of new equipment. Some of the older equipment will be part of trade-in programs but there will be a lot of cheap gas leaf blowers for sale that may got to on ban areas.
For small jobs, I prefer a rake and push broom and am more concerned about the dust, pollen, heavy metals like lead, fecal matter, and pesticides that get blown up than engine fumes. I have a corded and battery-powered leaf blower because they're lower maintenance but don't want to be told I can't use gas powered equipment. #GeneralToolDiscussion