Gas is Out, Quiet is In
–Effective January 2022, gasoline-powered leaf blowers cannot be legally used in the District of Columbia by residents or businesses and District retailers will no longer be permitted to sell them. Businesses risk being fined for continued use. The Leaf Blower Regulation Amendment Act passed the DC Council unanimously and was enacted in 2018, at which time a three-year phase-out began.
The ban does not apply to federal workers on federal land. Countless studies have shown the pollution causing and health impacts of gas-powered leaf blowers. Unlike automobiles, two-stroke, gas-powered leaf blowers do not have catalytic converters; therefore, a large percentage of pollutants go into the atmosphere. This law will help keep our community and city quieter and healthier.