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Potential health effects from exhaust emissions, fugitive dust, and noise range from mild to
serious. Fugitive dust is not a single pollutant, but rather is a mixture of many subclasses of
pollutants, each containing many different chemical species. Many epidemiological studies have
shown statistically significant associations of ambient particulate matter levels with a variety of
negative health endpoints, including mortality, hospital admissions, respiratory symptoms and
illness, and changes in lung function. Carbon monoxide is a component of exhaust emissions
which causes health effects ranging from subtle changes to death. At low exposures, CO causes
headaches, dizziness, weakness, and nausea. Children and people with heart disease are
particularly at risk from CO exposure. Some toxic compounds in gasoline exhaust, in particular
benzene, 1,3-butadiene, acetaldehyde, and formaldehyde, are carcinogens. Ozone, formed in the
presence of sunlight from chemical reactions of exhaust emissions, primarily hydrocarbons and
nitrogen dioxide, is a strong irritant and exposures can cause airway constriction, coughing, sore
throat, and shortness of breath. Finally, noise exposures can damage hearing, and cause other
adverse health impacts, including interference with communication, rest and sleep disturbance,
changes in performance and behavior, annoyance, and other psychological and physiological
changes that may lead to poor health.
Potential Health and Environmental Impacts of Leaf Blowers
Health effects from hazards identified as being generated by leaf blowers range from mild
to serious, but the appearance of those effects depends on exposures: the dose, or how much of
the hazard is received by a person, and the exposure time. Without reasonable estimates of
exposures, ARB cannot conclusively determine the health impacts from leaf blowers; the
discussion herein clearly is about potential health impacts. The goal is to direct the discussion and
raise questions about the nature of potential health impacts for those exposed to the exhaust
emissions, fugitive dust, and noise from leaf blowers in both occupational and non-occupational
settings.
For the worker, the analysis suggests concern. Bearing in mind that the worker population
is most likely young and healthy, and that these workers may not work in this business for all of
their working lives, we nonetheless are cautioned by our research. Leaf blower operators may be
exposed to potentially hazardous concentrations of CO and PM intermittently throughout their
work day, and noise exposures may be high enough that operators are at increased risk of
developing hearing loss. While exposures to CO, PM, and noise may not have immediate, acute
effects, the potential health impacts are greater for long term exposures leading to chronic effects.
In addition, evidence of significantly elevated concentrations of benzene and 1,3-butadiene in the
breathing zone of operators leads to concern about exposures to these toxic air contaminants.
Potential noise and PM health impacts should be reduced by the use of appropriate
breathing and hearing protective equipment. Employers should be more vigilant in requiring and
ensuring their employees wear breathing and hearing protection. Regulatory agencies should
conduct educational and enforcement campaigns, in addition to exploring the extent of the use of
protective gear. Exposures to CO and other air toxics are more problematic because there is no
effective air filter. More study of CO and other air toxics exposures experienced by leaf blower