Gas-powered leaf blowers may soon be a thing of the past in Illinois if one lawmaker has her way.
Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) filed a bill on Friday, Feb. 14 that would amend the Environmental Protection Act.
The amendment would ban a person from selling or operating a gas-powered leaf blower in Illinois.
SB3313 lists reason for the ban of gas-powered leaf blowers due to safety concerns that they emit exceedingly high rates of pollutants, including carbon monoxide. Chemical pollutants that the two or four-stroke engines emit can contribute to smog formation and acid rain.
According to the bill, gas-powered leaf blowers generate noise at a decibel level that can cause hearing loss in a short amount of time. And can send dust and other small particles into the air for considerable distances including animal feces, trace amounts of heavy metals such as lead, and allergens such as pollen and mold.
If a person violated that, they could have to pay a maximum fine of $500.
If passed and signed into law, the ban would go into effect on or after January 1, 2022.
