What are the facts about noise and health?

The EPA notes a direct link to stress-related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity.

At one of our Lower Merion Township public meetings, a landscaper noted that gas blowers operate around 100 decibels, while electric versions measure about 80. It’s important to understand that the decibel scale is logarithmic. Sound energy doubles roughly every three decibels, so a 20-decibel increase is about ten times as intense. It’s the difference between being able to converse on a porch and feeling the windows vibrate.

For workers, the difference means a significant reduction in hearing loss risk. The World Health Organization’s 2023 guidelines warn that exposure above 85 decibels for even two hours can cause permanent damage. The Centers for Disease Control also reports exposure to 85 decibels or higher can cause permanent hearing loss, tinnitus, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Many gas blowers exceed that threshold for workers with the machines on their backs.

Studies at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai describe noise from gas leaf blowers as a measurable health hazard, correlated with hearing loss, stress, and pre-term birth. The EPA notes a direct link to stress-related illnesses, high blood pressure, speech interference, hearing loss, sleep disruption, and lost productivity.

When we replace gas blowers with battery power, we remove these harms. And because electric tools shut off between tasks, they eliminate the idling noise that perpetuates with gas blowers.

The noise from gas blowers is not just a nuisance. It’s a known health hazard and imperils our quality of life. The benefits of noise reduction touches everyone in Lower Merion: better health and quieter days for all, safer streets for walkers and cyclists, and better conditions for work, learning, worship, and recreation. Landscaping businesses benefit, too. Contractors in peer communities with bans report fewer complaints, smoother scheduling, and better worker morale after switching to quieter, zero-emission tools. 

DOCTORS WITHOUT BLOWERS

3 Lower Merion physicians testified before the Township Commisioners, lending their medical expertise to what has become a public health crisis that affects most of us