Leaf blower
A leaf blower or leafblower is a landscaping tool that propels air out of a nozzle to move debris such as leaves and grass cuttings. Leaf blowers are powered by electric or gasoline motors. Gasoline models have traditionally been two-stroke engines, but four-stroke engines were recently introduced to partially address air pollution concerns.
Leaf blowers are typically self-contained handheld units, or backpack mounted units with a handheld wand. The latter is more ergonomic for prolonged use. Larger units may rest on wheels and even use a motor for propulsion.[1] These are sometimes called "walk behind leaf blowers" because they must be pushed by hand to be operated. Some units can also suck in leaves and small twigs via a vacuum, and shred them into a bag. In that role it is called a blower vac.
Since becoming common at the end of the 20th century, leafblowers have lead to decreased quality of life in many cities and suburbs. They generate a tremendous amount of air and noise pollution, affecting a radius of several hundred yards. The exhaust contains toxins and particulates that contribute to asthma, COPD, and cancer. Operators are particularly susceptible to hearing loss, respiratory disease, and repetitive stress injuries.
Leafblowers are an ecological catastrophe that reinforces an over-manicured, impossible aesthetic where the outdoor environment is turned into a chemically-soaked green carpet. Wildlife numbers and diversity are greatly reduced. The impact is particularly severe for insects and amphibians. Monoculture of frail grass species requires large inputs of water, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers, making droughts more severe and disrupting watershed habitats.
History[edit]
Prior to World War II, lawns around houses consisted of a variety of hardy grass species and were maintained by rakes, brooms, and lawnmowers.
The idea of a monoculture lawn free of any leaves, similar to a giant living room carpet, was marketed by realtors in the 1940s and 50s, during a time of suburbanization and rampant housing discrimination[2]. A lush, green, tightly-controlled and debris-free aesthetic standard emerged. This coincided with the development of watering systems and the widespread availability of pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers.
The leaf blower originated in 1947 as a backpack fogger apparatus, invented by Japanese-based Kyoritsu Noki Company. Kyoritsu followed that design with a backpack/blower/misting machine in 1955. in 1968, Kyoritsu applied for patent on a backpack blower mister design, and in 1972 established themselves in the United States as Kioritz Corporation of America, and is said to have invented the first leaf blower in 1977. The company changed their name to Echo in 1978.
Amongst such rival manufacturers as Stihl, Weed Eater, and Husqvarna, Echo saw the sales of leaf blowers explode. By 1990, annual sales were over 800,000 in the United States, and the tool had become ubiquitous.
Other functions beyond the simple use of garden maintenance have been demonstrated by Richard Hammond on the Brainiac television series, in which a man sized hovercraft was constructed from a leaf blower. Being both portable and able to generate wind speeds of between 140–270 miles per hour (63–121 m/s) and air volumes of 14 m3 per minute, the leaf blower has many potential uses in amateur construction projects.
Leaf blowers, despite being very inefficient, obtrusive, and polluting, have been misused to move sand, snow, and to dry vehicles.
Bans[edit]
The omnipresent noise and pollution emitted by leafblowers led to a backlash and they were banned in many communities including Los Angeles, Berkeley, and Beverly Hills.[3]
Soon after the leaf blower was introduced into the U.S., its use was banned in two California cities, Carmel-by-the-Sea in 1975 and Beverly Hills in 1978, as a noise nuisance. There are currently twenty California cities that have banned leaf blowers, sometimes only within residential neighborhoods and usually targeting gasoline-powered equipment. Several hundred cities have ordinances on the books restricting either usage or noise level or both.[4] A statewide ban in California will take effect in 2024.
Gas leaf blowers are banned in Washington, DC.
Air pollution[edit]
Emissions from gasoline-powered grounds-keeping equipment in general are a source of air pollution[5]. In the United States, emission standards prescribe maximum emissions from small engines. The two-stroke engines used in most leaf blowers operate by mixing gasoline with oil, and a third of this mixture is not burned, but is emitted as an aerosol exhaust. These pollutants have been linked to cancer, heart disease, and asthma.[6] A 2011 study found that the amount of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) pollutants emitted by a leaf blower operated for 30 minutes is comparable to the amount emitted by a Ford F-150 pickup truck driving from Texas to Alaska.[7]
In addition to the adverse health effects of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and particulates generated in the exhaust gas of the gasoline-powered engines, leaf blowers pose problems related to dust raised by the powerful flow of air. Dust clouds caused by leaf blowers contain potentially harmful substances such as pesticides, mold, and animal fecal matter that may cause irritation, allergies, and disease. Leaf blower dust contains toxic fine particulate matter <2.5 microns (PM2.5) which can penetrate deep into lungs and remain there for years.
Leaf blowers used on roadways stir up highly toxic brake dust and exhaust particulates.
Carbon dioxide emitted from leaf blowers may be a cause of global climate change.
Noise pollution[edit]
Noise pollution is also a concern with leaf blowers, as they typically emit noise levels above those required to cause hearing loss to both the operator and those nearby. Sound pressure readings in excess of 100 dB are common in gas powered leaf blowers and can cause permanent hearing loss in as little as a few hours.
The noise carries to neighboring properties and reduces their value for studying, working, or peaceful enjoyment. Noise causes fatigue, anxiety, and has many other adverse health impacts.
Habitat destruction[edit]
ground nesting birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals. plants. Pollinators. Leaf blowers blow away topsoil and damage vegetation.
Occupational health risks[edit]
Respiratory disease, hearing loss[8], vibration, repetitive stress injuries. Eye injuries, traffic accidents, slip and falls.
Leaf blowers also present an occupational hearing hazard to the nearly 1 million people who work in lawn service and ground-keeping.[9] A recent study assessed the occupational noise exposure among groundskeepers at several North Carolina public universities and found noise levels from leaf blowers averaging 89 decibels (A-weighted) and maximum sound pressure levels reaching 106 dB(A), both far exceeding the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Limit of 85 dB(A)[10]
Countermeasures[edit]
Fences, shrubbery, and or hedges. Reduces trespassing and keeps the noise at a distance. Some sound attenuation. No additional leaf production.
Basements. Go low, put several meters of earth between you and the sound.
Home soundproofing. Insulation, windows.
Earmuffs. Active noise cancelling or passive ear muffs. 3M good manufacturer.
Communicate with neighbors. Ask them to reduce leafblower use or at least schedule noise during traditional 9-5, Monday through Friday business hours. Avoid leafblower use near school bus stops when they are active.
Leave temporarily. Only useful if leafblower service has a predictable schedule, but greatly reduces exposure to noise and air pollution.
Move to new residence. Can solve problem because leafblower abuse is often unevenly distributed throughout a community. Not a guarantee.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Leaf blowers". Consumer Reports. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
- ↑ https://www.history.com/news/lawn-mower-grass-american-dream
- ↑ https://www.nonoise.org/quietnet/cqs/leafblow.htm
- ↑ Leaf-blower regulations nationwide Consumer Reports magazine, September 2010.
- ↑ "Lawn Equipment | Improving Air Quality in Your Community | US EPA". Epa.gov. 2006-06-28. Archived from the original on 2009-04-28. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
- ↑ Bernhard, Adrienne (October 18, 2018). "Leaf Blowers Are Loud, Ugly and Dangerous". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
- ↑ Kavanagh, Jason (December 5, 2011). "Emissions Test: Car vs. Truck vs. Leaf Blower". Edmunds. Archived from the original on August 31, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/hearingloss/index.html
- ↑ NIOSH (Jul 25, 2018). "Grounds for Change: Reducing Noise Exposure in Grounds Management Professionals". Retrieved Aug 15, 2018.
- ↑ Balanay, Jo Anne G.; Kearney, Gregory D.; Mannarino, Adam J. (2016-06-13). "Assessment of Occupational Noise Exposure among Groundskeepers in North Carolina Public Universities". Environmental Health Insights. 10: 83–92. doi:10.4137/EHI.S39682. ISSN 1178-6302. PMC 4909058. PMID 27330303.
External links[edit]
- "On Banning Leaf Blowers". The New York Times. 2017-03-17. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
- Cliff Weathers (2014). "Modern Pestilence: Leaf Blowers Generate Infuriating Noise, Toxic Gases and Hazardous Dust". Alternet. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
Blasting out air at hurricane-force speeds, leaf blowers spread allergens, toxins, pollutants and pathogens into the air we breathe
- Get Off My Lawn - The Atlantic Get Off My Lawn: How a small group of activists (our correspondent among them) got leaf blowers banned in the nation’s capital
- Citizens for a Quiter Sacramento
- Lawns may be green, but they’re terrible for the environment
- Guest Opinion: No to Leaf Blowers & a Loud Call to Action for Realtors
- Noisy, But That’s Not All - Fair Warning Leaf Blowers Flagged as Prodigious Polluters -- And Possible Health Threat
- A Word from the Inventor of the Leaf Blower - Car and Driver
- Quiet Georgia: Promoting Quiet Communities
- Landscape Maintenance Equipment Emissions and Children's Health
- Health Hazards of Gas Leaf Blowers
- http://ny2aap.org/2016/10/28/love-us-and-leaf-us-alone/