The Battle Over Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers: Environmental Concerns vs. Industry Resistance
Gas-powered leaf blowers have become a ubiquitous part of daily life in communities across America, but their loud noise and environmental impact have prompted towns and states to take action. Many places have implemented bans or restrictions on gas-powered blowers, favoring their battery-powered counterparts instead. However, the landscaping industry and some property owners argue that battery-powered blowers are not as effective and more expensive.
Jessica Stolzberg, a Montclair resident and advocate against gas-powered leaf blowers, played a pivotal role in getting a ban enacted in her hometown. According to Stolzberg, since the ban took effect, Montclair has become a healthier, cleaner, and quieter community. However, the ban is being challenged in court by landscapers who disagree with it.
The push to move away from burning fossil fuels in cars and homes has faced opposition from business groups and device owners. Similarly, the government’s efforts to force a switch to battery-powered leaf blowers have sparked complaints from the landscaping industry, citing increased costs and decreased performance under the new regulations.
Several local communities have already implemented full or partial bans on gas-powered blowers, and now New Jersey is considering a statewide ban. A recent bill advanced by a state Senate committee would prohibit the use of gas-powered blowers for most of the year, but allow four-stroke combustion engine blowers to be used during peak cleanup periods. Two-stroke models would be phased out after two years.
The compromise proposed in New Jersey is seen as a necessary concession by the industry to ensure the availability of more powerful gas-powered blowers when they are needed most. Rich Goldstein, president of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, emphasized that New Jersey deals with an abundance of leaves that require substantial cleanup efforts. He argued that gas-powered blowers are essential for efficiently addressing this issue.
Gas-powered blowers are not only being targeted in New Jersey but across the entire country. California will implement a ban next month, and similar measures have been passed in various locations, including Washington, D.C., Portland, Oregon, and Montgomery County, Maryland. Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey, highlighted that over 100 cities in the U.S. have already banned or restricted gas-powered blowers due to their significant contribution to pollution. He claimed that using a gas-powered blower for an hour produces pollution equivalent to driving a car for 1,100 miles.
While the transition away from gas-powered blowers is supported by environmental activists, the landscaping industry is concerned about the increased costs and decreased performance associated with battery-powered blowers. Rich Goldstein expressed his worry about the significant investment he has made in gas-powered blowers and questioned what he should do with them. To mitigate this concern, New Jersey’s proposed bill, like those enacted in other cities, would provide financial assistance to the industry to help offset the cost of purchasing new battery-powered blowers.
However, cost is not the only issue highlighted by Goldstein. He raised concerns about retrofitting trucks to charge batteries throughout the day, which would require keeping diesel engines running and causing additional environmental problems. He also pointed out that two-stroke engines, though less fuel-efficient than four-stroke engines, possess certain advantages that more advanced models lack, such as the ability to reach hard-to-access places when turned sideways.
Nancy Adams, the Mayor of Maplewood, New Jersey, emphasized that climate change necessitates a transition away from burning fossil fuels. She argued that it has been common knowledge for a century that increasing the use of fossil fuels leads to more CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. Since Maplewood banned gas-powered blowers, she attested to the positive impact it has had on the community’s quality of life.
Although many golf course management and landscaping companies support the idea of transitioning to battery power, they argue for a slower phase-in process. They believe that allowing more time would enable the development of more powerful battery-powered blowers.
The battle between environmental concerns and industry resistance continues as communities strive to find a balance between effective cleanup efforts and minimizing the negative impact of gas-powered blowers. The ongoing debate highlights the need for further research and development in the landscaping industry to create cost-effective and high-performance battery-powered alternatives.
