Gas Blowers Are Leafing Portland for Good

Gas-powered leaf blowers are on their way out.

Starting Jan. 1 in Portland, gas leaf blowers (GLBs) are seasonally banned on both private and public property, due to an ordinance passed by City Council in March 2024. The ban has yet to take full effect; in 2026 and 2027, GLBs will be permitted from October through December, then from 2028 forward GLBs will be prohibited year-round.

Both the noise and environmental issues of GLBs were of concern when passing the ordinance.

“Running a GLB for just one hour produces the same level of pollution as driving a midsize sedan 1,100 miles,” says the City of Portland on their website, citing a 2021 study from the California Air Resources Board. 

Michael Hall, who co-chairs Quiet Clean PDX, a nonprofit dedicated to phasing-out GLBs and who spearheaded the campaign to pass the ordinance, says the new ban is a step in the right direction.

“This is an important issue for the environment, for our neighborhoods, and for our workers,” he says. The ordinance is the keystone of Hall’s eight years since co-founding Quiet Clean PDX. “My goal is to make America rake again,” Hall says.

However, he says the rollout and enforcement isn’t perfect.

Hall notes the rules and penalties are “overly complicated,” and says they don’t make a lot of sense. After a first warning, fines start at $250, with a $1,000 fine for repeat offenders of four offenses or more. The penalties come with complex requirements, says Hall, claiming that the enforcement unfairly forces neighbors to have complained three times in a 90-day period before the city can step in.

Furthermore, enforcement won’t ensue until 2028. “What could strengthen this ordinance is making the enforcement mechanism take place immediately, not two years down the road,” Hall says. “A law with no enforcement has no teeth.”

The City of Portland did not respond to a request for comment.

The Oregon Landscape Contractors Association (OLCA) and other organizations also worked with the city to get the seasonal exceptions for the first two years for fall leaf cleaning, and pushed for the city to add a clause further pushing back the total ban if electric leaf blower technology has not caught up.

“We propose a phased approach that allows for the gradual integration of eco-friendly alternatives while providing necessary resources and incentives to adapt,” they said in a 2023 statement. “OLCA remains committed to embracing innovation and supporting the transition to cleaner technologies.”