? Dear Mayor Taylor and Menlo Park City Council Members, As you know, the County Shelter in Place order has been extended through the end of May. Rumors are circulating, however, that gardeners will be permitted to return to work under certain conditions. I am hoping that you might be in a position to suggest that one of those conditions be that the use of leaf blowers is prohibited Harvard researchers concluded in a report issued this month that the type of pollution generated by gas leaf blowers can increase the risk of complications or death from COVID. Wu X, Nethery RC, Sabath MB, et al. Exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 mortality in the United States: A nationwide cross-sectional study. Report (as of April 24, 2020), Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Dept of Biostatistics; 5a. Earlier report (as of April 5, 2020) covered in Wilson M (2020). A small increase (1 microgram) in the concentration of particulate air pollution means a big increase in COVID-19 deaths. This is extremely troubling since a single commercial gas leaf blower can produce 30 million micrograms every hour. Quiet Communities, Inc., a national nonprofit, has analyzed the research and concluded that, given the health risks to the public and especially to landscape workers, an immediate moratorium on the use of gas blowers is warranted. It is important to note that a moratorium would not affect the ability of landscapers to work. They would just do so without using gas blowers. I have attached a copy of QC's memorandum. The memo also contains a longer-term plan to help everyone transition to greener and healthier alternatives. I hope that you will read the attached document and act to protect our health during this crisis. Sincerely, Leah Elkins https://files.constantcontact.com/3a61126a001/b4801e26-3819-4865-9c9c-c1da8982cdc8.pdf Received on Tue Apr 28 2020 - 13:20:54 PDT
