Board of Health endorses leaf-blower study

By Alice Waugh

After hearing a committee’s report on the environmental and health effects of leaf-blowers, the Lincoln Board of Health issued a statement saying it supports efforts to mitigate the health risks posed by leaf blowers.

The Lincoln Leaf-Blower Study Committee (LBSC), which was authorized by Town Meeting in 2013,  submitted its report to the board in early February. On March 5, the board met with the group and issued its statement shortly thereafter.

“Exposure to high-intensity, episodic or long duration noise and air particulate and vapor dispersion from leaf blowers represents significant potential health hazards to our citizens. The Board of Health supports the Town of Lincoln Leaf Blower Study Group’s efforts to craft effective and economically sound approaches to mitigate those health risks,” the board said in a statement signed by its three members (Fredrick Mansfield, Steven Kanner and Herbert Haessler), all of whom are physicians.

The LBSC web page has links to the report as well as supporting documents on emissions, health impacts of related noise and air pollution, regulations and guidelines,  a sample of videos taken in the vicinity of Lincoln Station and an extensive bibliography.

The LBSC was formed to study noise and air pollution resulting from increasing use of leaf blowers for public and private property maintenance, to research alternatives to the use of leaf blowers, and to study the cost impacts of those alternatives. It will present a progress report on its activities over the last year at Town Meeting on March 29 and then do more research to evaluate

LBSC chair Jamie Banks said her group was pleased by the Board of Health statement but that there are “obviously still issues to be resolved” in terms of studying the health care impact of leaf-blowers vs. the practical matters involved in regulating their use and identifying possible alternatives. Based on its work, the committee will make “very specific recommendations that consider the economic practicalities of property maintenance,” Banks said.