Leaf Blowers
Village Extends Restrictions on Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
In September 2021 Bronxville’s Trustees approved a new, more restrictive ordinance regarding gas-powered leaf blowers. The ordinance bans gas-powered leaf blowers eight months of the year. They are allowed from March 15 until May 15 and from October 15 until December 15. The ban can be temporarily revoked during extreme weather events.
As a result, gas-powered leaf blowers are only permitted during the more difficult Spring and Fall clean-up seasons. When they are allowed, they may operate Monday through Saturday 8AM until 6PM. They are prohibited on Sunday. Electric-powered leaf blowers will be permitted all year. This amendment will align Bronxville with dozens of other Westchester communities that have extended restrictions on gas-powered blowers or, in rare instances, banned them altogether.
Background: Since early 2020 grievances about gas-powered leaf blowers have been the number one resident complaint to Village Hall. Concerns include noise pollution, lower quality of life, and negative impacts on our health and environment.
At the request of Mayor Marvin and the Village Trustees, the Bronxville Green Committee spent numerous months evaluating this issue and proposing solutions that protect our health and environment while understanding residents’ desire to manage their personal property as they see fit.
Enforcement: Since Bronxville requires all landscapers to register with the Village and each must display a registration number on their vehicles, residents should feel free to report a violation without directly confronting the worker, who might not be aware of the law and may take orders from an off-site manager. Photos of the violation and the registration sticker sent to Village Hall will prompt a letter of warning from the Village Administrator's office, followed by a possible revocation of their landscaper’s license and/or the issuance of an appearance ticket if the violation continues. By avoiding direct confrontations or involving the police, residents are encouraged to report violations. The Village and Green Committee websites will post procedures for reporting violations. In the new ordinance, both homeowners and landscapers will be held responsible for violations.
Gas-powered leaf blowers are an effective way to remove leaves, but they’re also the #1 source of complaints in Bronxville and they pose considerable health risks.
Health risks of gas-powered leaf blowers include:
loud noise that penetrates walls, disrupts daily life, damages hearing, and raises stress so as to imperil human health.
air pollution and increased greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
increased particles in the air, including mold, pesticides, animal feces and other contaminants, which are associated with increased respiratory illnesses.
increased health risks for the people operating them, especially if they don’t wear protective gear.
Environmental risks of gas-powered leaf blowers include:
dry out and compact the soil around plants.
increase run-off during rainstorms, making plants less effective at holding water and helping to control flooding.
increase erosion that harms your plants and clogs local waterways.
disturb or destroy habitat for pollinators, insects that support them, and other birds and small mammals, contributing to global declines in population for these species that are starting to effect global food chains.
Electric-powered leaf blowers are a better option.
Electric-powered leaf blowers are quieter and far safer for the environment and humans.
If they are charged with electricity generated by wind or solar, they have zero net emissions.
However, electric-powered leaf blowers are not perfect. They may not be powerful enough during times of heaviest leaf fall. They still kick up particles in the soil that can be harmful to breathe in. And by denuding the ground under your plants, like gas-powered blowers, they rob pollinators and the insects that feed them, of places to hibernate over the winter. Again, the best option is to mulch your leaves!