‘These are very high-emissions devices’

October 20

‘These are very high-emissions devices’

City council members in Baltimore, Maryland, voted to outlaw gas-powered leaf blowers.

The new ban will reduce air and noise pollution in local neighborhoods as these items of lawn care equipment are phased out citywide.

As CBS News reported, Councilmember Ryan Dorsey introduced the leaf blower ban to address localized pollution. Councilmember Lisa Rodvien previously proposed an Anne Arundel County leaf blower ban due to the nuisance, health, and environmental risks.

“Four to 5% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States come from gas-powered lawn equipment,” Rodvien said. “These are very high-emissions devices.”

Fortunately, the Baltimore City Council agreed and voted 10-5 to ban the polluting equipment.

This vote follows a similar decision in Annapolis, Maryland, where a gas leaf-blower ban goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.

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There is a refreshing sustainability trend toward banning the machines across the U.S. through city and statewide bans. More than 100 cities, including Portland, Oregon, have already banned them.

In Baltimore, gas leaf blowers are gradually being phased out of city life.

The city and its contractors will not be allowed to use them after Dec. 15, 2024. However, local residents and landscaping companies can continue using them between mid-October and mid-December in 2025 and 2026, but not after that.

This vote is a massive win for Baltimore because, as the National Audubon Society pointed out, gas-powered leaf blowers release four times more pollution than commercial lawnmowers and as much pollution as driving a car 1,100 miles.

They also create obnoxious noise pollution and have been linked to a wide range of health problems, including cancer, reproductive harm, asthma, and mental health damage.

“Given the significant and harmful pollution generated by gas-powered leaf blowers and the high prevalence of asthma and other respiratory illnesses in Baltimore, I’m glad the city is taking action to protect our lungs and our ears,” Maryland PIRG Senior Adviser Emily Scarr said. “It doesn’t make sense to keep using these health-harming, pollution-spewing machines when cleaner, quieter options are readily available.”

“Thank you to everybody who supported and advocated for this,” Councilmember Dorsey said. “It’s a good day for the environment, health, and peace of mind.”

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