TONY HAYS, San Clemente
Residents of San Clemente, and landscape contractors that they employ, should be reminded that the use of gas-powered leaf blowers was banned in the city as of Nov. 4.
For reference, see the San Clemente Code of Ordinances, Title 8—Health and Safety, Chapter 8.50—Leaf Blower Operations.
Apart from the noise generated, they’re also significant atmospheric polluters. Virtually all gas-powered leaf blowers use two-stroke engines, because the two-stroke offers a high power-to-weight ratio.
But in a two-stroke, lubricating oil is mixed with the gasoline, and this oil spews out with the exhaust as an aerosol, harming the lungs of users, and of anyone else nearby. The aerosol also contributes to urban smog.
According to Bloomberg Green, an environmental newsletter published by Bloomberg Business, one hour’s worth of operation produces about as many smog-forming chemicals as driving 1,100 miles in a Toyota Camry.
So, it’s in the interest of both users and their neighbors to transition to blowers powered by electricity. To reinforce this transition, the State of California has banned the sale of gas-powered leaf blowers effective on July 1, 2024.