Gas Leaf Blowers and Our Hearing

Gas leaf blowers can cause extreme damage when operated. Only 2 hours of exposure to this noise can cause permanent hearing loss. The reason the noise is so extreme is due to its low frequency. While higher frequencies tend to be “quieter” since they have a harder time penetrating windows and doors, low frequency sounds can do it more easily, making them much louder. For the operator, gas leaf blowers can hit 100 decibels, only 40 less than a jet plane at takeoff. Being exposed to only 85 decibels of sound repeatedly can cause permanent hearing loss. At 50 feet away, the noise can reach 75 decibels, only 10 less than what is considered a dangerous level. For comparison, the average rock concert is around 90 decibels. While these noises can cause severe hearing loss, they also affect people who already have it. 

My sister was diagnosed with progressive hearing loss in 4th grade. Ever since then her hearing just keeps getting worse, and it will continue till the point where she eventually goes deaf. She can barely hear us speaking already, and as someone who lives on Sheridan road where our neighbors constantly have their leaf blowers going, it‘s almost impossible to have a conversation with her during the months of April, October and November. Therefore this ban is not just important to me because it will help save our environment, but because it will allow me to communicate with my sister before she loses her hearing forever. 

Sources:

• https://www.quietcleanpdx.org/leaf-blowers-dangers-pollution/#:~:text=EXTREME%20NOISE&text=Operating%20a%20gas%20leaf%20blower,noise%20impact%20than%20electric%20blowers.

• https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/news/2020/do-you-know-how-loud-too-loud#:~:text=Sound%20is%20measured%20in%20units,dBA%20can%20cause%20hearing%20loss

• https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/aircrew/noise.html#:~:text=The%20outside%20of%20aircraft%20engines,higher%20or%20lower%20noise%20levels

• https://www.nonoise.org/quietnet/cqs/leafblow.htm#:~:text=Blower%20noise%20can%20impair%20gardeners,from%20noise%20above%2075%20dBA

• https://www.nonoise.org/quietnet/cqs/leafblow.htm#:~:text=The%20average%20blower%20measures%2070,louder%20at%20any%20closer%20distance

• https://decibelpro.app/blog/how-loud-is-a-rock-concert/