Gas leaf blowers are noisy and incredibly prolific polluters. Should they be banned in NC?

One of the signature sounds of spring in North Carolina could soon be the next frontline of the climate change revolution.

Leaf blowers, those noisy machines that seem to echo across suburban neighborhoods as soon as the weather warms up and lawns come alive, have long been derided for their jet engine-like sounds and the dust and pollen they kick up.

Many cities, including several in North Carolina, have enacted general noise ordinances that ban the use of noisy machines, like construction equipment and leaf blowers, during late evening and early-morning hours.

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But a new push to ban gas-powered leaf blowers is gaining momentum in many parts of the country due to another aspect of the machines: the high amount of atmosphere-warming greenhouse gases they release over a very short period of time.

Here's why the bans are growing, and what it could mean for North Carolina:

Why are clean-air advocates going after gas-powered leaf blowers?

It's because of how they are powered − small gas engines, known as "small off-road engines," or SOREs.

These two-stroke engines, the vast majority of which are used in landscaping equipment, burn a dirty fuel mix and don't have the pollution controls that vehicles do.

According to the California Air Resources Board, leaf blowers and other landscaping equipment in the Golden State produce more ozone pollution than all of the state’s cars combined.

"For a commercial leaf blower, one hour of operation emits smog-forming pollution comparable to driving a new light-duty passenger car about 1,100 miles – about the distance from Los Angeles to Denver, over 15 hours of driving," state's the board's website.

Leaf blowers also emit a variety of pollutants that can be hazardous to operators, many of whom don't wear protective breathing measures, according to the EPA and clean-air advocates.

Who is banning gas-powered leaf blowers?

Not surprisingly California is leading the way. The Golden State has voted to ban the sale of new gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers starting in 2024 and portable generators by 2028. Existing gas-powered equipment can still be used.

Washington, D.C., also has moved aggressively to get rid of gas-powered leaf blowers, banning any use of them as of January 2022. Other states and cities also are looking at bans, although many are focusing on commercial users and offer exemptions for residential owners.

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No North Carolina municipality has enacted a specific ban against leaf blowers. Wilmington spokesman Dylan Lee said city officials haven't discussed a ban. Ditto for New Hanover County, said spokesman Alex Riley.

But both officials said using a leaf blower late at night would run afoul of existing noise ordinances.

So what's the alternative to gas-powered equipment?

As with a lot these days, it's electric. But while that might be feasible for a homeowner who uses his blower once a week or so, what about for landscaping professionals who used their blowers for several hours a day?

Several landscapers working in Ogden, a community full of single-family homes just east of Wilmington, on Monday afternoon declined to speak on the record, but they all expressed concerns about battery-powered equipment being up to the job of current commercial blowers and mowers, including how they'd charge them in the field. They also worried about the cost of going electric, especially since electric equipment − like vehicles − is still more expensive than gas-powered blowers and mowers.

Voices for Healthy Green Spaces, an industry group supported by the National Association of Landscape Professionals, echoed those concerns.

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"The industry is committed to making the transition to zero-emission equipment and is making progress toward that goal, but more investment in our nation’s underlying electric infrastructure and greater advancements in electric tools that can support commercial-scale work are needed," the group's website states.

Riley, the New Hanover County spokesman, said some county maintenance crews are experimenting with using battery-powered equipment, but that the vast majority of crews are still using gas-powered blowers and mowers because of the size of the areas − like county parks and Airlie Gardens − that they maintain.

Are leaf blower bans coming to North Carolina?

Probably not in the short term. Several environmental groups that are active in clean-air initiatives said they didn't know of any push for a ban in North Carolina or neighboring Southern states.

State officials in the Tar Heel State also haven't historically been the most pro-active on environmental issues, most notably in 2017 when legislators voted to repeal a ban on single-use plastic bags on the Outer Banks over concerns it was negatively impacting small businesses.

But clean-air advocates say the time of the small gas engine is coming to an end, and as big states phase them out manufacturers will respond and prices will drop. Most companies already offer electric versions of their leaf blowers, mowers and weed whackers − albeit aimed at the residential market.

California also has said it can't reach carbon neutrality by 2045 unless it phases out equipment powered by small gas engines. North Carolina has a similar goal of reaching a zero-emission threshold by 2050.

Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at GMcGrath@Gannett.com or @GarethMcGrathSN on Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from 1Earth Fund and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY Network maintains full  editorial control of the work.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Could NC join other places in banning gas powered leaf blowers?