Leaf blower

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Leaf blowers Stihlblowers.jpg
Leaf blowers

A leaf blower, commonly known as a blower , is a device 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 called blower vacs, can also suck in leaves and small twigs via a vacuum, and shred them into a bag.

Contents

Leaf blower vacuum LeafBlowerVac.jpg
Leaf blower vacuum

Leaf blowers are a source of controversy due to their adverse impacts such as operator injury, including hearing loss, particulates air pollution, noise pollution, and ecological habitat destruction. [2] Over 200 localities have restricted the use of leaf blowers and many major cities, including Washington, DC, [3] are implementing total bans due to the negative effects to operator health, ecological destruction, pollution, and nuisances including noise. [4] October 9, 2021, California passed an air pollution control law AB1346 phasing out small off-road engines, like those found in leaf blowers, set to take effect January 1, 2024. [5]

History

Backpack leaf blower Aa backpackleafblower.jpg
Backpack leaf blower

Leaf blowers were originally introduced in California. By 1990, annual sales were over 800,000 in the U.S., and the tool had become a ubiquitous gardening implement.[ citation needed ]

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.[ citation needed ]

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 a 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 its name to Echo in 1978.[ citation needed ]

Among such rival manufacturers as Stihl, Weed Eater, and Husqvarna, Echo saw the sales of leaf blowers in the 1970s explode. It is estimated that the sale of leaf blowers in the U.S., had exceeded 1 million units by 1989.[ citation needed ]

To meet the 1995 California regulations for noise and air pollution, leaf blower manufacturers modified the current engine designs to comply. However, 1999 regulations were far more stringent, forcing the engineering of a quieter, more compliant 2-stroke engine design.[ citation needed ] While leaf blowers were becoming more tolerable in U.S. suburban neighborhoods, many communities had by now, in fact, banned their use. In the mid-2000s and to further answer critics, manufacturers once again evolved the leaf blower, with the use of NICad (nickel-cadmium) powered tool design to create the first cordless leaf blower. The new NiCad battery-powered leaf blower designs were further improved by way of the more powerful, and longer run time lithium-ion batteries, which incorporate most cordless leaf blowers marketed today. Cordless leaf blowers today operate with zero emissions and operate at an estimated 70% noise reduction (compared to levels produced by their predecessors).[ citation needed ]

Environmental and occupational impact

Noise level of a gas-powered leaf blower using the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app NoiseLevel LeafBlower.jpg
Noise level of a gas-powered leaf blower using the NIOSH Sound Level Meter app

Emissions from gasoline-powered grounds-keeping equipment in general are a source of air pollution [6] [7] and more immediately, noise pollution. [8] [9] In the United States, US 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. [10] A 2011 study found that the amount of 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. [11]

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 the 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. [12]

Noise pollution is also a concern with leaf blowers, as they can emit noise levels above those required to cause hearing loss to both the operator and those nearby. [13]

Leaf blowers also present an occupational hearing hazard to the nearly 1 million people who work in lawn service and ground-keeping. [14] 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) [15]

Leaves are ecologically beneficial, providing habitat for insects and microorganisms and nutrients for the soil. Leaving some leaves rather than removing them all can support biodiversity. [16]

Battery-powered leaf blowers produce zero emissions, are more efficient, and are even rechargeable, making them an increasingly reliable alternative to gas power. [17]

Bans

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. Another 80 cities have ordinances on the books restricting either usage or noise level or both. [18]

Washington, DC, passed a ban on gas-power leaf blowers in 2018. [19] A law banning the sale of gas-powered lawn equipment in California will take effect in 2024. [16] [20]

Innovations

On October 18, 2023, Whisper Aero unveiled the “Whisper Drive” enabled leaf blower which can be up to 40 times quieter at 50 feet than its competitors. The “Whisper Drive” enabled blower emits 45 decibels of noise at 50 feet. In contrast, gas leaf blowers emit 70-90 dBA at 50 feet, while the quietest electric leaf blower on the market emits 57-59 decibels at 50 feet. This could allow workers to circumvent usage restrictions on leaf blowers due to noise ordinances, as well as making federally mandated hearing protection unnecessary. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engine</span> Machine that converts one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy (of motion)

An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.

A power tool is a tool that is actuated by an additional power source and mechanism other than the solely manual labor used with hand tools. The most common types of power tools use electric motors. Internal combustion engines and compressed air are also commonly used. Tools directly driven by animal power are not generally considered power tools. Power tools can produce large amounts of particulates, including ultrafine particles. Airborne particulate matter is a Group 1 carcinogen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawn mower</span> Grass cutting device

A lawn mower is a device utilizing one or more revolving blades to cut a grass surface to an even height. The height of the cut grass may be fixed by the design of the mower but generally is adjustable by the operator, typically by a single master lever or by a mechanism on each of the machine's wheels. The blades may be powered by manual force, with wheels mechanically connected to the cutting blades so that the blades spin when the mower is pushed forward, or the machine may have a battery-powered or plug-in electric motor. The most common self-contained power source for lawn mowers is a small 4-stroke internal combustion engine. Smaller mowers often lack any form of self-propulsion, requiring human power to move over a surface; "walk-behind" mowers are self-propelled, requiring a human only to walk behind and guide them. Larger lawn mowers are usually either self-propelled "walk-behind" types or, more often, are "ride-on" mowers that the operator can sit on and control. A robotic lawn mower is designed to operate either entirely on its own or less commonly by an operator on a remote control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fuel oil</span> Petroleum product burned to generate motive power or heat

Fuel oil is any of various fractions obtained from the distillation of petroleum. Such oils include distillates and residues. Fuel oils include heavy fuel oil, marine fuel oil (MFO), furnace oil (FO), gas oil (gasoil), heating oils, diesel fuel, and others.

Vehicle emissions control is the study of reducing the emissions produced by motor vehicles, especially internal combustion engines. The primary emissions studied include hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and sulfur oxides. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, various regulatory agencies were formed with a primary focus on studying the vehicle emissions and their effects on human health and the environment. As the worlds understanding of vehicle emissions improved, so did the devices used to mitigate their impacts. The regulatory requirements of the Clean Air Act, which was amended many times, greatly restricted acceptable vehicle emissions. With the restrictions, vehicles started being designed more efficiently by utilizing various emission control systems and devices which became more common in vehicles over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emission standard</span> Legal requirements governing air pollutants released into the atmosphere

Emission standards are the legal requirements governing air pollutants released into the atmosphere. Emission standards set quantitative limits on the permissible amount of specific air pollutants that may be released from specific sources over specific timeframes. They are generally designed to achieve air quality standards and to protect human life. Different regions and countries have different standards for vehicle emissions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zero-emissions vehicle</span> Class of motor vehicle

A zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) is a vehicle that does not emit exhaust gas or other pollutants from the onboard source of power. The California definition also adds that this includes under any and all possible operational modes and conditions. This is because under cold-start conditions for example, internal combustion engines tend to produce the maximum amount of pollutants. In a number of countries and states, transport is cited as the main source of greenhouse gases (GHG) and other pollutants. The desire to reduce this is thus politically strong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exhaust gas</span> Gases emitted as a result of fuel reactions in combustion engines

Exhaust gas or flue gas is emitted as a result of the combustion of fuels such as natural gas, gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, fuel oil, biodiesel blends, or coal. According to the type of engine, it is discharged into the atmosphere through an exhaust pipe, flue gas stack, or propelling nozzle. It often disperses downwind in a pattern called an exhaust plume.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diesel exhaust</span> Gaseous exhaust produced by a diesel engine

Diesel exhaust is the exhaust gas produced by a diesel engine, plus any contained particulates. Its composition may vary with the fuel type or rate of consumption, or speed of engine operation, and whether the engine is in an on-road vehicle, farm vehicle, locomotive, marine vessel, or stationary generator or other application.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fossil fuel power station</span> Facility that burns fossil fuels to produce electricity

A fossil fuel power station is a thermal power station which burns a fossil fuel, such as coal, oil, or natural gas, to produce electricity. Fossil fuel power stations have machinery to convert the heat energy of combustion into mechanical energy, which then operates an electrical generator. The prime mover may be a steam turbine, a gas turbine or, in small plants, a reciprocating gas engine. All plants use the energy extracted from the expansion of a hot gas, either steam or combustion gases. Although different energy conversion methods exist, all thermal power station conversion methods have their efficiency limited by the Carnot efficiency and therefore produce waste heat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Groundskeeping</span> Activity of tending an area of land

Groundskeeping is the activity of tending an area of land for aesthetic or functional purposes, typically in an institutional setting. It includes mowing grass, trimming hedges, pulling weeds, planting flowers, etc. The U.S. Department of Labor estimated that more than 900,000 workers are employed in the landscape maintenance and groundskeeping services industry in the United States in 2006. Of these over 300,000 workers were greenskeepers for golf courses, schools, resorts, and public parks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garden tool</span> Tool made for gardening and landscaping

A garden tool is any one of many tools made for gardening and landscaping, which overlap with the range of tools made for agriculture and horticulture. Garden tools can be divided into hand tools and power tools.

United States vehicle emission standards are set through a combination of legislative mandates enacted by Congress through Clean Air Act (CAA) amendments from 1970 onwards, and executive regulations managed nationally by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and more recently along with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). These standards cover tailpipe pollution, including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate emissions, and newer versions have incorporated fuel economy standards. However they lag behind European emission standards, which limit air pollution from brakes and tires.

John Joseph Mooney was an American chemical engineer who was co-inventor of the three-way catalytic converter, which has helped reduce pollution from cars since the mid-1970s

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pollution in California</span> Overview of pollution in the U.S. state of California

Pollution in California relates to the degree of pollution in the air, water, and land of the U.S. state of California. Pollution is defined as the addition of any substance or any form of energy to the environment at a faster rate than it can be dispersed, diluted, decomposed, recycled, or stored in some harmless form. The combination of three main factors is the cause of notable unhealthy levels of air pollution in California: the activities of over 39 million people, a mountainous terrain that traps pollution, and a warm climate that helps form ozone and other pollutants. Eight of the ten cities in the US with the highest year-round concentration of particulate matter between 2013 and 2015 were in California, and seven out of the ten cities in the US with the worst ozone pollution were also in California. Studies show that pollutants prevalent in California are linked to several health issues, including asthma, lung cancer, birth complications, and premature death. In 2016, Bakersfield, California recorded the highest level of airborne pollutants of any city in the United States.

.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental impact of transport</span>

The environmental impact of transport are significant because transport is a major user of energy, and burns most of the world's petroleum. This creates air pollution, including nitrous oxides and particulates, and is a significant contributor to global warming through emission of carbon dioxide. and also plant pollution, by heavy metals. Within the transport sector, road transport is the largest contributor to global warming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile source air pollution</span> Air pollution emitted by motor vehicles, airplanes, locomotives, and other engines

Mobile source air pollution includes any air pollution emitted by motor vehicles, airplanes, locomotives, and other engines and equipment that can be moved from one location to another. Many of these pollutants contribute to environmental degradation and have negative effects on human health. To prevent unnecessary damage to human health and the environment, environmental regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have established policies to minimize air pollution from mobile sources. Similar agencies exist at the state level. Due to the large number of mobile sources of air pollution, and their ability to move from one location to another, mobile sources are regulated differently from stationary sources, such as power plants. Instead of monitoring individual emitters, such as an individual vehicle, mobile sources are often regulated more broadly through design and fuel standards. Examples of this include corporate average fuel economy standards and laws that ban leaded gasoline in the United States. The increase in the number of motor vehicles driven in the U.S. has made efforts to limit mobile source pollution challenging. As a result, there have been a number of different regulatory instruments implemented to reach the desired emissions goals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Small engine</span> Low-powered internal combustion engine

A small engine is the general term for a wide range of small-displacement, low-powered internal combustion engines used to power lawn mowers, generators, concrete mixers and many other machines that require independent power sources. These engines often have simple designs, for example an air-cooled single-cylinder petrol engine with a pull-cord starter, capacitor discharge ignition and a gravity-fed carburettor.

The Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) is an organization focused on environmental and social justice in San Diego, California. It was founded in 1980 by Diane Takvorian and Tony Pettina, and includes a staff of 19 other individuals. Its work mainly concerns low income communities and communities of color in San Diego. It also works to affect public policy both locally and nationally. The coalition believes that by working closely with communities, it will be able to help mitigate the excessive amounts of pollution and other environmental hazards such as hazardous air pollution (HAPs), toxic waste disposal facilities, or superfund sites. One of its main goals is to prevent environmental injustice in San Diego and use that work to influence national environmental justice issues. Its mission statement is as follows:

References

  1. ↑ "Leaf blowers". Consumer Reports. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "Leaf blowers are not only annoying but also bad for you (and the environment)". 15 November 2019. Retrieved 18 Feb 2022.
  3. ↑ "Leaf Blower Regulations" . Retrieved 18 Feb 2022.
  4. ↑ "City Council sets April 2023 date for phasing out gas-powered leaf blowers". 12 November 2021. Retrieved 18 Feb 2022.
  5. ↑ "California regulators sign off on phaseout of new gas-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers". Los Angeles Times. 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2022-03-04.
  6. ↑ "Determination Particulate Emission Rates from Leaf Blowers" (PDF). Retrieved 18 Feb 2022.
  7. ↑ "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.
  8. ↑ "Do noisy leaf blowers drive you crazy? You're not alone". Miami Herald. 2017.
  9. ↑ Frost, Natasha (17 October 2019). "More and more brave towns are putting a stop to the tyranny of leaf blowers". Quartz. Retrieved 2021-10-25.
  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.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ "Leaf Blowers -". reviewgates.net. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
  13. ↑ Micu, Alexandru (2019-11-15). "Leaf blowers are not only annoying but also bad for you (and the environment)". ZME Science. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  14. ↑ NIOSH (Jul 25, 2018). "Grounds for Change: Reducing Noise Exposure in Grounds Management Professionals" . Retrieved Aug 15, 2018.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. 1 2 "How to deal with your leaves". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  17. ↑ "5 Green Reasons to Choose Battery-Powered Lawn Tools". Consumer Reports. 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
  18. ↑ Leaf-blower regulations nationwide Consumer Reports magazine, September 2010.
  19. ↑ "D.C. Council Strikes Death Blow To Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers". DCist. Archived from the original on December 5, 2018. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  20. ↑ "California set to become first state to ban gasoline-powered lawn equipment". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  21. ↑ Alamalhodaei, Aria (2023-10-18). "Whisper Aero unveils ultra-quiet electric leaf blower, powered by aerospace tech". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
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