Portland’s Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Ban is Now in Effect!
The City Council approved Ordinance 191653 on March 13, 2024, phasing out the use of gas-powered leaf blowers everywhere in the city. The law took effect January 1, 2026. Hooray!
- In 2026 and 2027 gas leaf blowers are only allowed in the fall (Oct. 1 – Dec. 31).
- Starting Jan. 1, 2028, they will be prohibited year-round.
The goal is to make our beautiful city quieter, cleaner, and healthier and protect our landscape workers from dangerous noise and pollution. Huge thanks to everyone who helped achieve this victory. Your continued support will be crucial to its success, since a law is only as good as its enforcement. Let’s ensure that these noxious devices become a tool of the past in Portland by 2028.
Use the City’s complaint form to report the use of a gas leaf blower.
Let us know what your experience is with the complaint process, and be sure to:
- Give the City feedback about the complaint form and the process.
- Send the City any questions you have about the policy.
- Visit our Take Action page for ways you can help.
For more information:
- See the City’s FAQs page and information page.
- Read this Oregonian article about the ban (1/5/2026).
- Check out the actual leaf blower code (Title 17, Ch.101).
- Visit our legislation page.
If you live elsewhere:
We invite you to use our resources to get a law passed in your own city. And let us know how we can help.
Contact us at info@qcpdx.org
Gas-powered leaf blowers are hazardous to your health!
EXTREME NOISE: Their exceptionally loud noise disrupts community peace and contributes to hearing loss, hypertension, and stress. The noise has a sizeable low-frequency component that penetrates further and affects more people than other sounds at the same decibel level.
DANGEROUS EMISSIONS: Their highly polluting engines emit unburned carcinogens, toxins and fine particulates that increase one’s risk of getting cancer, lung disease, heart disease, dementia, and other serious health conditions.
ENVIRONMENTAL DISRUPTION: Their smog-forming emissions, toxic waste (from spills and discarded equipment), and hurricane-force winds damage soils, destroy ecosystems, and contribute to the climate crisis, directly and indirectly impacting human health.
Please join us in eliminating gas-powered leaf blowers and making our neighborhoods quieter and healthier! Find out more below.
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The Aggressive Ways of the Casual Leaf Blower
“Clean up,” they say, filling the air
with dirt and exhaust. As if
you can more quickly rake in cash
by blowing it into the street.
With all the force — and foresight —
of a tornado. Such logic
flies in everyone’s face, yet passes
for rational self-interest. How
so many ignore it, I don’t know.
It screams out to be heard
from blocks away, even with
the windows closed. And the stereo on.
Verse thanks to Jennifer Martenson