Pollen, Mold, Feces and Lung-Lodging Particulates

In addition to the various toxic chemicals from herbicides and pesticides, and the lead (Pb) that leaf blowers raise into the air, are a variety of other health concerns.

Lead part two: "There is no safe level of blood lead in children"

Most readers probably already knew before the previous post that lead is a health hazard, especially for young children.

High lead levels are common in Arlington soil

Lead is of serious concern. As lead paint flakes off or is scraped off a home, soil in the surrounding area gets contaminated with lead.

According to the MA Department of Environmental Protection: “Children can become exposed to lead when playing in the dirt or tracking it into the house on their shoes and clothing."”

The Department goes on to say, “During the summer months, when dust is a problem, clean window sills with a damp cloth or sponge once a week.”[1] That’s because it is going THROUGH the window onto the sill.

Leaf-blower election Q&A

Arlington's legislature, Town Meeting, voted this spring to curb leaf blowers. Local lawn-care companies are seeking to repeal these restrictions.

Voters will vote on the repeal in a special town-wide election (a referendum) on Thursday, July 19.

Q: What is on the ballot?

A: According to the Town's web site, the language of the vote is as follows:

Shall the town vote to approve the action of the representative town meeting whereby it was voted to amend the Town Bylaws to prohibit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers on private property between May 15th and October 15th by a vote of 95 in the affirmative to 85 in the negative.

A yes vote is a vote to retain the new bylaw restricting leaf-blower use. A no vote is a vote to repeal the bylaw.

Keep off the grass

The National Academy of Sciences estimates that homeowners utilize 10 times more fertilizer and pesticides per acre than farmers.[1] Ten times more than farmers per acre.

Throughout the summer we see a variety of small placards grow on lawns that say things like “Caution: Pesticide Application. Keep Off!”

The signs are there for good reasons, and I hope you will bear with us as we describe some of the most common safety hazards whipped up by leaf blowers:

Hurricane force winds

Leaf blowers create wind speeds of 150 to 280 mph.

That exceeds the wind speeds of both category-five hurricanes and tornados. Imagine directing that power at the ground beneath your feet.

I would humbly offer that if the slower winds of hurricanes and tornadoes can lift cars and cows, leaf blowers can raise dust and the toxins mixed into the soil.

It's not the noise

A lot of people think the concern with leaf blowers ban is all about noise — it isn't.

Certainly noise is an issue, a big issue, for many people. For some, including the two authors of this blog, the big issue is the toxic dust clouds that leaf blowers put into the air.

Many people aren't aware that the most common pesticides and herbicides are carcinogenic, tied to learning disabilities, known endocrine disruptors, and more. Much more. Lead, a neurotoxin, is also common in soil around Arlington homes.

Leaf blowers throw this toxic brew of chemicals into the air.

1. The most common lawn treatments include pesticides and herbicides, which are listed as toxic chemicals, endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, possible carcinogens, etc.
2. Many of these chemicals decay slowly. They have "half-lives" ranging from several months to almost a year.
3. Leaf blowers make airborne those toxic chemicals using winds of up to 280 mph pointed directly at the soil.
4. That toxic dust goes through open windows, settles on porches/patios, on children's lawn toys, etc. where adults and children ingest the chemicals either by breathing or by hand to mouth contact.

Noisy or not, it is the threat to adults and children that concern us most.