On Feb. 5, the Providence City Council hosted a public hearing on an ordinance that would ban gas-powered leaf blowers, with plans to phase out the use of the equipment starting in 2028. If passed, a complete ban would start in 2033.
The ordinance notes that “gas-powered leaf blowers produce dangerously high noise levels.” The proposed legislation also cites environmental and public health reasons for passing the ban, noting that such equipment emits air pollution that can worsen public risk of heart disease, asthma and other health conditions.
Jennifer Martenson, a Providence resident, says she can hear leaf blowers in her backyard. Martenson is the chair of Quiet Clean RI, a group advocating against the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.
“The issue started interfering with my life 15 years ago when I moved into a house with constant noise from leaf blowers,” Martenson said in an interview with The Herald. She used to work remotely from home, but “had to find other places to work” due to the noise pollution she experienced.
Allison Dean, a Barrington-based urban planner and journalist, shared similar sentiments, noting that noise pollution is a “huge problem” that can raise levels of stress within the community.
“Our primary critique is that the timeline is much too long. We can’t wait eight more years until 2033,” said John Wilner, the communication coordinator of the Providence Noise Project, a nonprofit that focuses on reducing urban noise pollution. He criticized city officials for not implementing stricter regulations, such as an all-out prohibition on the sale of gas-powered equipment, in addition to prohibiting their use.
But some landscape workers disagree. Ethan Hattoy, an employee at Hattoy’s Nursery and Garden Center and a board member of the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association, said there’s a “big misconception that battery-powered (leaf blowers are) silent or quiet.”
Mark Perry, the owner of equipment store Kent County Lawnmower, noted that the majority of efficient gas and electric leaf blowers make noise that registers at at least 80 decibels — approximately 20% higher than WHO guidelines. Some electric units produce up to 90 decibels, Perry added.
Both Perry and Hattoy noted that electric leaf blowers are about as loud as their gas-powered counterparts. The main difference lies in the type of sound they produce. Gas-powered leaf blowers generate a low-tone noise, which they say is more pleasant for the user. Electric leaf blowers, on the other hand, generate a high-tone noise, which is less audible indoors but more bothersome for users, they said.
Hattoy emphasized that there has been significant industry pushback against the ordinance, noting that the switch is not yet “feasibly and practically affordable.”
George Carette, owner and operator of Massachusetts-based EcoQuiet Lawn Care, has used electric yard-care equipment for the past 11 years. But he hesitates to support the ordinance, noting that companies and business owners may not be prepared for the switch.
“We need to educate the workers if the ban comes in place,” Carette said, adding that established lawn care companies would need extra guidance on what alternative equipment to purchase in light of the potential ban.
The first phase of the ban would operate on a seasonal basis, only allowing the public to use gas-powered leaf blowers between September and December. The full ban would take effect in 2033.
Carette advocates for incentives to switch to alternative equipment, rather than a legislative ban and fines. If the ordinance passes, individuals that use gas-powered lawn equipment will be fined $100 per violation.
Perry hopes that electric leaf-blowers will one day become industry standard — but he said the industry is not ready for the switch just yet.
Additional reporting by Megan Chan
