Leaf-blowers endanger wildlife, says animal rights group

The association says excessive use of motorised leaf-blowers and hoovers is on the rise. Keystone / Salvatore Di Nolfi

As the autumn leaves fall, a Swiss animal rights group is urging people to think twice before using leaf-blowers.

These devices are noisy, polluting, damage soil biology and endanger the lives of small animals, according to the Swiss Animal Protection (PSA) association. It calls on people to use rakes and brooms instead to gather leaves

In areas where autumn leaves need to be cleared, local authorities and many private individuals often use motorised leaf-blowers or hoovers. Excessive use of these devices on permeable surfaces like grassy strips, forests and protected areas is increasing rapidly, according to PSA.

But if the natural litter layer on the ground is blown away or sucked up, many small animals such as worms, insects, spiders, amphibians and even small mammals lose their habitat, their winter quarters or their source of food, says the association. They can also be sucked into the machine and crushed to death.

Leaf-blowers, emitting some 90 to 120 decibels of noise, are as loud as a chainsaw or pneumatic drill. This noise poses a health risk to the person using the appliance, as well as to humans and animals in the immediate vicinity, says PSA.

Although leaf-blowers and hoovers save time, it urges individuals and communities to refrain from using them, given the significant negative effects.