The serious health consequences of re-introducing
gas-powered blowers into Evanston

2026-01-18

A special interest group of about 120 small-business owners, pushing a big-oil, high-pollution, anti-electric, anti-science, policy (sadly and ironically a pure MAGA agenda) wants to cancel Evanston's hard-won environmental ordinance. Victims of this action will include 75,000 residents (9,500 Hispanic) and 14,430 children) [U.S. Census]. See below what the consequences for all of them will be. Special interest groups just like this one fought against our landmark ordinance for decades, spreading disinformation all along the way. There is always a special interest group who feels their cause is more important than our environment, and the well-being of our citizenry. Four years ago, Mayor Biss and the Evanston City Council fought back, and unanimously took bold action for the well-being of all Evanston citizens.

One group who will suffer from this anti-environment action are the many hundreds of actual workers (not the owners) who will be doing the heavy work with these dirty devices. Toxic fumes blowing in their faces may double their chances of serious health issues, including cancer, and the 105 dB sound from 2 feet away are far, FAR beyond NIOSH safe limits, leading to hearing loss and linked to a host of cognitive and physical ailments. [1]

The serious public health consequences of bringing back gas-powered blowers:

Exhaust emissions and toxins (and see national levels below):

This is nasty pollution, containing carcinogenic, asthma-inducing emissions such as benzene, butadiene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides and fine particulates (and see below for more chemicals).

Damaging health effects from leaf blower (environmental) noise:

Studies show that environmental noise such as the kind produced by leaf blowers, can be linked to lower reading scores, verbal test scores, and language skills in children, and can lead to lower math scores, and lower task completion. For all ages there is evidence it can additionally lead to cognitive impairment, attentional difficulties and reductions in processing speed. [4]

Climate disaster at the national level:

The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services reports, "Garden equipment engines produce up to 5% of the nation's air pollution. […] Ground level ozone affects your health, your neighbor's health, and the environment. Ground level ozone is especially harmful to sensitive receptors such as children, the elderly and people with respiratory ailments like asthma. Exhaust emissions from gasoline-powered engines can lead to health problems such as respiratory disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological conditions and premature death."

They estimate that "17 million gallons of gasoline is spilled as garden equipment is refueled each year." [7]

The Washington Post reports that "In 2020, lawn equipment across the United States produced more than 68,000 tons of nitrogen oxides as well as more than 350,000 tons of volatile organic compounds [VOCs] […] more than 20 million pounds of benzene, a carcinogen […] more than 30 million tons of carbon dioxide [and] nearly 19,000 tons of methane." [8]