By Betsy Levinson — Betsy@theconcordbridge.org
Is it quieter where you are?
As a result of a Town Meeting-approved, phased-in ban on handheld gas-powered leaf blowers as of June 1, it might be.
According to Sustainability Director Eric Simms, residential properties smaller than an acre and a half can only use the devices for two “time windows,” September 15 to December 30 and March 15 to May 31. At all other times, their use is prohibited, he said. The amendment is included in the construction noise bylaw.
Sven Weber, a resident of the Thoreau Street neighborhood, sponsored the petition article.
“It’s been a slow start,” he said. “The challenge is that people don’t know that it’s in effect.”
Weber said it can also be “uncomfortable” for neighbors to talk to one another about it for fear of dropping a dime on their landscapers.
Simms said the phased-in approach is aimed at easing the expense for landscapers who will have to convert from gas-powered to battery-operated devices.
For smaller devices such as leaf blowers, battery life is shorter and more expensive, he said. Companies may need to get backup batteries and allow for charging time, all of which adds to the expense.
Weber said the phased-in approach will soften the blow for landscapers.
“Be nice,” he said. “Don’t go in with a sledgehammer.”
Added Weber, “Everyone needs to learn and adjust. We have years of learning in front of us.”
The current phase, involving the restricted months, lasts until March 15, 2028, when commercial landscapers’ use of gas-powered handheld leaf blowers will be prohibited year-round.
Effective March 15, 2030, the ban will apply to residents as well.
Sustainability goals
Simms sees the ban as a boon to the town’s sustainability goals and as a way to reduce leaf blower noise.
“Gas emissions contribute to greenhouse gas pollution,” said Simms. “Even though they are small in scale, it adds up.”
He described the town’s “mantra” as one of moving toward electrification as much as possible, including of landscaping equipment.
“Battery-powered devices make noise, but not to the extent of the gas-powered ones,” Simms said. And battery-powered leaf blowers can be used year-round.
“Technology will continue to improve,” he said, adding that batteries will evolve to become both smaller and more powerful, “and the cost will likely come down.”
Still, he said compliance with the recent ban has been “inconsistent.”
To get the word out, Simms sent a flier to hundreds of commercial landscaping companies in the MetroWest area. He’s heard back from only a few, with a couple saying they have converted their equipment and use it to attract customers — along with a smattering who complain about the cost.
“It’s new. It’s going to take time,” he said.
To check on ways to save on battery-powered equipment, visit www.masssave.com/residential/rebates-and-incentives.
