More than 140 complaints about the use of gas-powered leaf blowers have been logged with the town since May 2023, shortly after a bylaw restricting their use went into effect.
Of the 143 complaints, 70 were received this calendar year, according to Assistant Health Director Diana Ekman. A majority of the properties with complaints only received one, she said, with 102 addresses across the 143 complaints.
Eckman said the vast majority of complaints have been regarding leaf blowers used by commercial landscaping companies between May and September.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, small engine landscaping equipment, including leaf blowers, are a significant source of pollution, which can lead to a wide variety of health impacts.
Eckman said that while the direct relationship between exposure to gas powered leaf blowers and negative health impacts is not clearly defined, there are a few potential public health concerns.
“However, it is clear that the engines in gas-powered leaf blowers, as well as other gas-powered lawn and garden equipment, emit fine particle pollution, as well as noxious gasses such as Nitrogen Oxides (NOx),” Eckman said in an email statement. “These types of pollutants are known to have negative impacts on respiratory and cardiovascular system health at high levels. Leaf blowers are also believed by many to kick up more dust, debris, and allergens into the air as opposed to raking.”
And finally, the noise generated by the blowers can contribute to hearing loss, sleep interruption, and stress issues.
Eckman said the first step when the department receives a complaint is to send an educational letter to the property owner, informing them of the requirements outlined in the bylaw.
“In the instance where there are multiple complaints about a property, we will reach out to the property owner in other ways, such as leaving a door hanger or calling the landscaping company directly, as well as visiting the property to see if we can observe the use of the combustion leaf blowers,” she explained.
In “rare instances” where there have been residents who have not been responsive to other forms of communication, Eckman added that the department has been offered support by the Town Administrator’s office and/or Select Board with reaching out to landscapers or residents directly.
The leaf blower bylaw, which was written to include multiple stages, went into effect when it was approved in February 2023, bringing Belmont into alignment with several other towns in the state. At that point, and still, the restrictions, included:
- No combustion-powered leaf blower may be operated by a commercial landscaper on any property between May 15 and Sept. 30.
- No combustion-powered leaf blower may be operated between 7am and 8pm on Sunday or a legal holiday.
- The number of leaf blowers that may be operated on one property at a time is limited based on the size of the lot and number of units on a lot.
According to lawnstarter.com, towns that have restricted or banned the devices include Arlington, Concord, Newton, Cambridge, Lexington and Winchester.
Companies can sign up online to indicate their acknowledgement of the bylaw.
On Jan. 1, 2026, combustion-powered leaf blowers will be completely prohibited in town.