Putting it all together

The previous five posts (see below) laid out the basics about the health threat leaf blowers pose in a densely populated suburban setting like Arlington:

• Pour dangerous chemicals on yards, many of which already have lead contaminated soil,
• Direct hurricane force winds of 250 mph at the soil, raising contaminants into the air,
• Watch as the various health hazards form a dust cloud which spreads beyond your yard, goes through open windows, lands on children's toys, etc.

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.

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.