- Target:
- House of Commons
- Region:
- United Kingdom
Blowers are cruel to wildlife, destructive to plants, highly polluting and useless. There is also a noise problem.
Polluting: They release inordinate amounts of thick fumes for dozens of metres around. Carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and everything else contained in petrol fumes. Meanwhile, 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? They are cruel to animal and insect habitats, release harmful fumes and cause extreme noise pollution.
They are now in mass-market use. The USA has banned them in a number of cities. Ban them here please.
Thank-you.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Ban Leaf Blowers petition to House of Commons was written by Simon MacReynoldson and is in the category Environment at GoPetition.