Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Could Be Banned In Radnor Township

RADNOR TOWNSHIP, PA — In late 2025, Lower Merion Township instated a phasing out of gas-powered leaf blowers. Under their ordinance, the use of these machines will be limited to certain time periods, before an outright ban on Jan. 1, 2029.

Now, Radnor Township is looking into doing something similar.

"We are trying to learn from other areas how to do it," Radnor Township Ward 3 Commissioner Catherine Agnew said.

She said the noise levels and the air pollution that are created by gas-powered leaf blowers are the impetus for the township exploring a moratorium on their use.

The discussions are still very early, however.

"This is not a done deal," she said.

Ideally, the township will host some town hall events at which residents and businesses can share their thoughts on a potential restriction of gas-powered leaf blowers. Residents, she said, would have priority.

"Constituent input is the most important," she said. "From those town halls and other research we would, with the help of the township solicitor, craft an ordinance that would come before the board."

As per standard protocol, any potential ordinance would be presented by the board of commissioners and would allow public comment on the proposal. The board will have a chance to make any changes they deem necessary based on feedback from the public and their own discussion, then ultimately vote on it.

Agnew said while she was running for the Ward 3 commissioner seat, she spoke with numerous residents who took issue with gas-powered leaf blowers, namely people with young children and those with chronic illnesses.

She has not heard from any local landscaping contractors, however.

"We have plenty of landscape companies in the township," Radnor Township Public Works Director Ricky Foster said. "It will be interesting to see what they have to say."

Ideally, a potential gas-powered leaf blower ban would apply to any contractor operating in the township.

"It will be interesting to see what they have to say," Foster said.

As a township, Foster said transitioning to electric leaf blowers would be simpler than a company transitioning to electric.

The issue that arises with the township's public works force is maintaining the same amount of production achieved with gas-powered leaf blowers with electric leaf blowers.

"Leaf clean up is a six-week period," Foster said. "As long as we're able to do that, and the tech is there to support it, I'm wholeheartedly behind it."

Foster said he's "very optimistic" that electric and battery powered technology will continue to grow.

However, the cost has to be investigated. So far, the township has spent about $15,000 on electric power tools, such as blowers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, and more.

"It's working," he said of the electric shift. "I think it's a win."

"I'm hopeful we will have a great discussion with residents and businesses to come up with a usable, acceptable by everyone plan," Agnew said.

A phase out is easier to implement, an outright ban, she said, adding that if the phase out it advertised over a few years, the potential ban of gas-powered leaf blowers becomes more palatable.

The idea of a gas-powered leaf blower ban was among the things Board of Commissioners President Maggy Myers, who represents Ward 2, and Vice President Jim Riley, Ward 4, said they were excited about in 2026.