- Target:
- House of Commons
- Region:
- United Kingdom
These machines are polluting, destructive, cruel and useless.
Polluting: They release inordinate amounts of thick fumes for dozens of metres around. Carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and everything else contained in petrol fumes. In addition to fumes, in dry conditions they pollute the air with dust. A US study measured 2.6lb of dust is blown up each hour. It contains lead, carbon, powdered animal droppings, dead insect parts, pesticide residues and entrained dust, including PM2.5 particles the body cannot defend itself against.
Destructive: Wind speeds of blowers have been measured to vary from 150-201mph, and are fired at the ground from a height of around 10 inches. The effects on insects, micro-organisms, butterflies, bees, delicate or growing plants and grasses and soil moisture, are devastating.
Cruel: To hibernating animals, nesting birds... oh, and humans. What kind of person inflicts indefinite noise of over 100 decibels on others around them while wearing hearing protection for themselves. What kind of person inflicts potentially lethal dust and fumes on others and on animals while wearing breathing protection for themselves?
Please can there be a Government Inquiry into leaf-blowing machines with a view to banning them? There is significant evidence they damage the environment and are harmful to wildlife and people.
They have become mass-market use, and used in a wide range of outdoor settings every week of the year. They are banned in numerous parts of the USA on air and noise pollution grounds. Ban them here please. Thank you.
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The Ban The Blowers petition to House of Commons was written by Simon MacReynoldson and is in the category Environment at GoPetition.