Leaf Blower Ban Petitioned For By Parsippany Resident

PARSIPPANY, NJ — A Parsippany resident is taking aim at gas-powered leaf blowers, citing that a potential resolution limiting their use could help Parsippany be more environmentally conscious.

The argument that was presented to members of the Parsippany Township Council was that gas leaf blowers emit high rates of pollutants, including carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, hydrocarbons, unburned gasoline, and fine particulate matter.

Local resident Nicholas Homyak stated that the council's decision to ignore this issue and not support a resolution limiting the use of gas-powered leaf blowers was inadvertently causing a butterfly effect with climate change and environmental damage.

"You combine this device with automobiles and deforestation and it's a big contributor. I don't see what the big deal is—to support such a resolution and even for Parsippany to make their own resolution," Homyak said.

Homyak stated in an open letter to Parsippany Councilman Justin Musella that the resolution he would like the council to address calls for the phasing out of leaf blowers in favor of better alternatives.

"Councilman Musella stated to me 'privately that he could never support such a resolution," Homyak said.

In 2021, New Jersey lawmakers considered a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers through two bills introduced in the state Legislature.

Sen. Bob Smith, D-Middlesex and Chair of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, introduced the measure, S4273, which would have prohibited the sale of gas leaf blowers within a year of the bill becoming law and banned their use entirely after four years.

The second bill, A6238, proposed by Assemblywoman Lisa Swain, D-Bergen, would task the Board of Public Utilities with establishing a rebate program for the purchase of electric or battery-powered leaf blowers.

The statewide proposals come after several municipalities took action against leaf blowers in response to an increase in complaints about noise and environmental concerns.

Homyak referenced the ordinance that Montclair passed, which drastically cut back on the number of days that internal combustion blowers could be used – from 168 to 93.

"Montclair has a pretty good one. I think ours could be a little bit different and could address the close-quarters neighborhoods like Lake Hiawatha. Some of these lawn care people, they don't have the proper mufflers... nobody wants their homes disturbed like that," Homyak said.

The council chose not to respond publicly to the request, but Mayor Barberio had previously asked if Homyak was asking them to ban leaf blowers. Homyak clarified that he preferred battery-powered blowers because gas blowers pollute the air and are harmful to the environment.

"It's time to think about the planet," Homyak said.