January 1 this year was the starting date for the phase out of gas-powered leaf blowers in Portland. For this year and in 2027, they can be used from October through December — the wet leaf season. A full year-round ban will begin January 1, 2028.
Gas leaf blowers produce both noise and air pollution, negatively impacting the environment, community health, and especially people using them frequently, like landscapers. Phasing out this equipment improves public health and the environment — for the benefit of all.
Portland City Code Chapter 17.101, which addressed the use of gas-powered leaf blowers, was passed in March 2024 after years of citizen activism. The policy applies to all property owners in Portland. This means that a property owner cannot use gas leaf blowers and must ensure that any contractor or property manager they hire does not use them. Electric leaf blowers are permitted year-round, and all leaf blowers must comply with the city’s noise code.
If you observe a gas-powered leaf blower being used during the ban period, complaints can be filed online at portland.gov/ppd/noise/noise-concerns. If it’s someone you have a relationship with, like a neighbor or friend, please consider “nudging” them to look into the new ordinance before reporting them. Violations may result in fines ranging from $250 to $1,000.
For more information visit portland.gov/bps/climate-action/leaf-blowers.
Liz Erickson has lived in the neighborhood with her husband and two children since 2009. Growing up in Beaverton, she remembers visiting grandparents on NE 42nd and walking to Rose’s Ice Cream for a scoop of butter brickle. She’s a Master Recycler volunteer with Metro and served in the Peace Corps in Morocco.