Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Face Statewide Restrictions
Your trusty gas-powered leaf blower might soon become a relic of the past. The two-stroke engines in gas leaf blowers can produce more pollution in just one hour than driving a car hundreds of miles. California has already phased them out entirely, and other states are beginning to follow. The environmental impact is staggering when you consider this sobering comparison.
According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), operating a commercial gas-powered lawnmower for an hour “emits as much smog-forming pollution as driving the best-selling 2016 passenger car, a Toyota Camry, about 300 miles – approximately the distance from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.” Even more shocking, one hour of using a commercial leaf blower is equivalent to driving 1,100 miles from LA to Denver. With the ban now in effect and momentum building in other states, gas-powered lawn equipment is on its way to becoming a thing of the past.
The movement isn’t stopping at California’s borders. Other states, counties, and cities have implemented or plan to enforce similar gas lawn equipment bans. Denver, Colorado, Minnesota, Maryland County, Connecticut City, Denver, and Toronto are on this list. However, there’s pushback happening too. States like Texas and Georgia signed bills prohibiting local governments from banning gas-powered outdoor equipment.
String Trimmers and Weed Whackers Under Scrutiny
In January 2024, the State of California banned the sale of new small off-road engine-powered garden equipment (SORE), such as leaf blowers, lawn mowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, and small chainsaws. These tools haven’t just caught the attention of environmental regulators – they’re causing serious injuries at an alarming rate.
An estimated 81,907 injuries involving a lawn trimmer occurred from 2000-2009. The incidence generally increased over time. What’s particularly concerning is where these injuries happen. The most commonly injured body part was the head, specifically the eye, accounting for 42.5% of the injuries. Think about that for a moment – nearly half of all string trimmer injuries affect the eyes.
String trimmers, also known as weed eaters, feature a heavy-gauge plastic line that whips around at high speed. It can cause deep cuts, eye injuries, or even amputation if you’re not careful. The power of these seemingly innocent tools is often underestimated until something goes wrong.
Small Chainsaws Face Emission Restrictions
Those handy small chainsaws perfect for backyard pruning are getting swept up in the environmental crackdown. California’s small engine ban is already in effect, with other states watching closely and preparing similar restrictions. Battery technology has improved dramatically, with professional-grade electric models now widely available. For occasional backyard tree trimming, the days of gas-powered saws are quickly becoming numbered.
The safety concerns around chainsaws go beyond emissions. To prevent injuries, do not wear loose clothing that could get caught in the chainsaw. Steel-toed boots are recommended, as are gloves and a helmet with a face shield. Ear protection is a good idea, because saws typically operate above 85 decibels – enough to cause hearing damage. These safety requirements make them increasingly unwieldy for casual backyard use.
Combined, common garden tools, such as hoses, leaf blowers, pruning shears, wheelbarrows, and chainsaws, are involved in the majority of accidents, but lawnmowers alone are responsible for a significant number of injuries, most of which require surgery. The medical costs alone are pushing regulators toward safer alternatives.
Hedge Trimmers Join the Restricted List
Electric hedge trimmers are becoming the only viable option in many areas. In January 2024, the State of California banned the sale of new small off-road engine-powered garden equipment (SORE), such as leaf blowers, lawn mowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, and small chainsaws. The transition isn’t just about emissions – it’s about safety statistics that are hard to ignore.
Meanwhile, hedge trimmers cause 18 per cent of injuries, gardening scissors cause 14 per cent, and power jet washes make up nine per cent of garden-related injuries. When you consider that about 230,000 people each year are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries relating to various lawn and garden tools, hedge trimmers are responsible for over forty thousand injuries annually.
The injury pattern with hedge trimmers is particularly concerning because they often involve serious lacerations. These can include cuts and lacerations from the use of pruners, shovels, and garden forks. Unlike other garden tools, hedge trimmer injuries frequently require immediate surgical intervention.
Riding Lawn Mowers Facing Safety-Based Restrictions
Those convenient riding mowers that make quick work of large lawns are increasingly under fire for safety reasons that go beyond emissions. Each year, about 75 people are killed and about 20,000 are injured on or near riding lawnmowers and garden tractors. One out of every five deaths involves a child. That statistic should give any parent pause.
The danger to children is particularly acute. More than 800 young children get run over or backed over by riding mowers each year. This happens when children fall while being given rides, or when they approach the operating mower. Many neighborhoods are starting to implement specific restrictions on when and where these machines can be operated.
Although it’s only a small fraction of the total injuries, there are concerns over the 65 backover injuries caused yearly. There are 65 backover injuries per year, but most ride-on mowers still allow reverse mowing. Safety advocates argue that this number is entirely preventable with better design standards.
Ladders Top the Injury Statistics
Here’s something that might surprise you – ladders are actually the most dangerous tool in your garden shed. The Compensation Experts, ladders cause 28 per cent of injuries in the garden – the highest percentage of all equipment. That makes them more dangerous than chainsaws, mowers, or any other power tool.
The ladder problem isn’t going away anytime soon, but some municipalities are starting to require safety certifications or permits for certain types of ladder work. Lawn mowers came in a close second place after the research revealed they cause 24 percent of accidents. Together, these two tools account for over half of all garden-related injuries.
The recent safety bar can detach or break while in use, posing serious fall and injury hazards to consumers recall of Werner ladders shows how even established brands aren’t immune to safety issues. The CPSC is increasingly vigilant about ladder safety, with more stringent testing requirements likely coming soon.
Pressure Washers Under Increased Surveillance
The recent CPSC recall of RYOBI pressure washers highlights growing safety concerns about these popular backyard tools. The pressure washer’s capacitor can overheat and burst, causing parts to be forcefully ejected, posing a risk of serious injury from impact to the user or bystanders. This isn’t an isolated incident – it’s part of a pattern of mechanical failures.
Meanwhile, hedge trimmers cause 18 per cent of injuries, gardening scissors cause 14 per cent, and power jet washes make up nine per cent of garden-related injuries. That nine percent translates to over twenty thousand injuries annually when you consider the total injury numbers. Most people don’t realize the serious injury potential of these machines.
The high-pressure water can cause serious injuries beyond just the mechanical failures. Eye injuries, cuts from flying debris, and slip-and-fall accidents on wet surfaces make pressure washers increasingly problematic from a liability standpoint. Some HOAs are already restricting their use during certain hours or requiring special permits.
Pool Equipment and Backyard Fire Features
The massive pool recall this summer sent shockwaves through the backyard safety community. Backyard pools are a way for many to feel some relief from the extreme heat, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission is recalling 5 million aboveground pools because of a drowning hazard for children. The CPSC blamed a design flaw in the recalled pools for the drowning deaths of at least nine children in six states.
Building a permanent fire feature in your backyard may soon require extensive permitting and inspections in many areas. Fire risks in drought-prone regions have prompted stricter oversight of any potential ignition sources. Cities in California, Colorado, and other western states have already implemented permit requirements with specific design standards.
Some areas completely prohibit new installations. Temporary, portable fire pits with spark arrestors and lids may become the only legal option for backyard s’mores in many communities. The trend toward stricter fire safety regulations shows no signs of slowing down, especially in drought-affected regions.
The landscape of backyard tool regulations is shifting rapidly, driven by both environmental concerns and shocking injury statistics. Today the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced it has surpassed the 2024 record for product safety recalls and warnings, more than three months before the end of the calendar year. This surge reflects a stronger, faster, and more vigilant CPSC focused on protecting American families. With nearly 3.2 million lawn and garden injuries over the past 10 years, or more than 26,000 injuries per month, the push for safer alternatives isn’t just about cleaner air – it’s about keeping people out of emergency rooms. The question isn’t whether these tools will face more restrictions, but how quickly homeowners will adapt to the new reality.