Leaf Blowers hazardous to your health
"Warning! The engine exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.”
This warning comes with some leaf blowers. The manufacturer’s operating manuals caution that anyone within 50 feet of a blower in use should be wearing hearing, eye and breathing protection.
Small gasoline engines, like the gasoline powered leaf blower, use non-renewable fuel and, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, create as much as 20 percent of the air pollution in cities, particularly nitrogen oxide and particulate matter.
In addition to toxic emissions from the gasoline powered engines, leaf blower send dust and other forms of particulate matter into the air. The particles of debris can aggravate allergies and other respiratory problems.
The noise pollution from leaf blowers is another reason to pick up a rake and a broom. A blower that measures 75 decibels at 50 feet can reach up to 100 decibels at the operator’s ear. Leaf blower noise can be especially irritating because of the particular dulling sound it makes and because of the lack of control by the one exposed to it.
Some landscapers are finding the leaf blowers dehydrate plants and burn leaves. They are hard on new growth and blow away precious topsoil. They blow debris into swimming pools and onto neighbor’s gardens.
Races between people using leaf blowers and others using rakes and brooms have shown that the rake and broom method is just as fast and a more effective way of cleaning up out side areas.