Leaf blowers
...we had several constituents call to complain about gas-powered leaf blowers, mostly used by landscape contractors. Since 1982 it has been illegal under the City's Noise Ordinance (Berkeley per Berkeley Municipal Code Section 13.40.070) to use these devices within Berkeley City limits. "... it shall be unlawful for any person, including any city employee, to operate any portable machine powered with a gasoline engine used to blow leaves, dirt, and other debris off sidewalks, driveways, lawns, or other surfaces within the City limits." (Ord. 6026-NS § 1, 1990: Ord. 5500-NS § 1 (part), 1982)
Please take note and advise your landscape contractors. Violations of the ordinance can be reported to Environmental Health at (510) 981-5310 or envhealth@ci.berkeley.ca.us
Other Suggestions:
Call police 981 5900 immediately, take photos of workers and their vehicle and license plate numbers.
Poster your neighborhood where violations occur, put notice on truck of violators, put notice at door of homeowner who should also be cited along with the workers, many are illegally in the country, most without workers comp insurance or city license. Have other agencies investigate the workers if they and homeowners fail to follow the law.
Communication from City of Berkeley Environmental Health Division 2010 Dec 1 regarding electric leaf blowers:
"The electric leaf blowers are allowed in Berkeley, and there are no
noise regulations for them."
2018 Dec 19. The following was posted on LiveOakNextDoor by Jack Newman:
Why does Berkeley ban gas-power leaf blowers?
Berkeley and many progressive communities have banned gas-powered leaf blowers to protect health and the environment.
Environment: Emissions from the two-stroke leaf-blower engines are terrible sources of pollutants. 30 percent of leaf-blower fuel goes unburned and as a result, carcinogenic hydrocarbons, such as benzene, are emitted at high concentrations. Just 30 minutes of gas leaf-blower generates more pollution than driving a Ford F150 pickup truck across the country (LA to New York) … and then to Orlando Florida!
Health: If 30 minutes of gas leaf blowing generates that much pollution, imagine the total emissions that the operator of a gas leaf-blower is exposed to every week. In addition to unburned fuel, blasting air at up to 185 MPH, aerosolizes spores, fungi, pollens, pesticides and herbicides, fertilizers, pet feces, brake-lining dust and tire residue and heavy metals that can damage the respiratory system, according to Bay Area Air Quality Management District. Finally, the Center for Disease Control warns 2 hours of gas leaf-blower noise can cause hearing loss.
Social Justice: Most home-owners and landlords don’t own their own gas-powered leaf blowers. Landscape companies bring the gas leaf blowers for workers to use. This saves some time and therefore money, but at the expense of the health of laborers who are being paid by the hour to do a quick and (literally) dirty job.
Could we pay a little more for the time it takes a healthy worker to do a safe job that is better for the environment? That’s the objective of this progressive Berkeley ordinance. Good alternatives could be a rake or even electric blowers. You can ask your landlord or landscape company to comply with this Berkeley community ordinance.
