Paradise Valley’s Public Works Department is testing both handheld electric leaf blowers and larger backpack-style blowers as the town council prepares to discuss concerns over the noise and environmental impacts of gas-powered landscaping equipment this fall.
Public Works Director Isaac Chavira said the town contracted for several electric blower models and tested their performance against the department’s gas-powered equipment. The findings will be presented to the council during an upcoming fall session.
The testing found the electric blowers generally weighed 7 to 10 pounds more than the department’s gas models. Battery runtime ranged from 15 minutes to one hour, requiring employees to stop work to change batteries. Chavira said the shorter runtime also meant jobs took longer and could increase the potential for back injuries.
