Healthy Lawns Works to Limit Leaf Blowers

By Barry Kaye, Dean Hickman, Ruth Smullin, and Thomas Nehrkorn

Gasoline-powered leaf blowers are not only a nuisance to anyone trying to enjoy a peaceful time in their backyard or a neighborhood walk, but they also present real risks to human health, most significantly to the operators. These are detailed in previous BCF articles published on this subject (See “Leaf Blowers Damage Belmont’s Environment,” Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter, September/October 2021.) The town is trying to address this issue. 

Healthy Lawns Initiative

Sustainable Belmont recently started hosting a Healthy Lawns Initiative to promote more environmentally sustainable lawn care practices. Currently, we are focused on developing a new town bylaw to restrict the use of gas-powered leaf blowers, with 15 volunteers working to advance four interrelated goals:

• Reduce or eliminate gas-powered leaf blowers 
• Promote cleaner, quieter, and safer alternatives and practices 
• Codify and harmonize Belmont’s policies with those of neighboring towns through a new bylaw
• Upgrade Belmont Department of Public Works’ (DPW) equipment and practices to best-in-class in terms of noise, environmental impact, and operator safety

We are working to achieve these near-term goals through multiple initiatives:

• Residential action to raise awareness, identify alternatives, create demand, and build a fact-based case to support action by the Select Board
• Elected official action to help craft meaningful bylaws or other actions 
• Municipal action to help DPW identify alternatives and transition to quieter, cleaner, safer equipment 
• Community action to coordinate with neighboring towns 

Sustainable Belmont supports the Select Board’s initial efforts to create a bylaw and recommends movement on a bylaw similar to the one Lexington’s Town Meeting has already approved and which they will put to a town-wide vote in March. 

• No use of leaf blowers from June through September
• No use of leaf blowers on Sundays 
• Limited hours of use, for example, 8 AM to 5 PM
• Phase-out of gas-powered leaf blowers by 2025 
• Request landscapers to provide OSHA-required safety equipment to crews

Leaf Blower Bylaw History

The Select Board met in spring 2021 to discuss a draft bylaw proposed by Select Board member Roy Epstein. This bylaw was subsequently modified by Select Board member Adam Dash after a discussion in which two landscapers strongly opposed any meaningful regulation. The motion was tabled. At residents’ request for another public forum on the topic, the Select Board voted 2 to 1 in favor of having another public forum on January 25.

Sustainable Belmont publicized the meeting by reaching out to sympathetic residents, neighboring communities, and landscapers. The committee also put together an informational flier and distributed it to several Belmont-based landscaping companies and supportive organizations’ email lists. 

More than 100 people attended the forum, and 52 attendees spoke. Thirty-four residents supported a bylaw that limits the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. Their concerns were the painfully loud and constant noise in their neighborhood, the resulting inability to enjoy their yards, the pollution from the gasoline, the toxic elements in the dust blown up by the machines, and the effects of those noxious elements on the workers who are often using them without protection for their ears, eyes, and lungs. One homeowner’s landscaper was willing to switch to rakes instead of leaf blowers at no extra cost. 

Opposing arguments included issues raised by landscapers concerned about the efficacy of electric blowers and the slowness of hand raking. They were also concerned about increased costs associated with buying new electric equipment and extra time needed to use rakes. However, several landscapers stated that they are willing to compromise. 

Some homeowners didn’t want anyone telling them what kind of tools they should or should not use, and they were concerned that this was the beginning of a “slippery slope” toward banning other gas-powered outdoor tools. Some requested that the town DPW abide by whatever rules the landscapers will have to follow. At the end of the meeting, the Select Board indicated they would consider all the input and deliberate at an upcoming meeting. 

The Select Board made clear that they are looking for consensus—a general town-wide agreement that this important issue needs to be addressed. There was also some concern that their agenda was already full. We at Healthy Lawns Belmont have shared the compelling facts with them. Without public support, however, the Select Board is less likely to take this issue on and draft a bylaw that would then go to Town Meeting. 

Asked if they would provide rake and/or electric blower services now for customers who request it, some local landscapers said they already offer such service as standard, others are transitioning, more indicated they would offer such service if residents request such service, and many have yet to respond. 

Sustainable Belmont would like to address landscaping businesses’ concerns by opening a dialogue. There are opportunities available to ease the transition to cleaner, quieter, and safer alternatives for homeowners and landscapers. The Belmont Light Department offers rebates for homeowners for conversion to electric yard equipment, and a bill pending in the legislature (H.868) would subsidize conversion for small businesses. Some landscapers have anticipated the future, and have successfully converted or are converting to electric and rake service. We would seek to facilitate this trend in the interest of all residents and businesses.

How to Help

 You can send a brief email to the Select Board telling why you favor limits on gas-powered leaf blowers. Their email address is selectboard@belmont-ma.gov.

For more information on the Healthy Lawns Initiative, see www.sustainablebelmont.net/healthy-lawns-belmont.

If you use a landscaping service, ask if they offer electric leaf blower or rake service, and let them know you are interested in such service. We plan to list the growing number of such services on our Healthy Lawns web page.

If you wish to upgrade to electric equipment, check Belmont Light Department’s web page for available rebates when you convert.

To volunteer with Sustainable Belmont, please email sustainablebelmont@gmail.com 

Barry Kaye is a Belmont resident and primary care physician at Mass General Brigham in Everett.Dean Hickman is chair of Sustainable Belmont, and Ruth Smullin and Thomas Nehrkorn are members of Sustainable Belmont.