People in Zurich are voting on strict new rules to severely limit the use of leaf blowers and leaf vacuums, as the Swiss city's authorities try to limit noise and dust pollution.

The authorities want to ban petrol-powered leaf blowers and leaf vacuums altogether, allowing only electric devices to be used to blow away dirt and debris.

They also want to limit the use of the machines to the period from October to December, permitting their use at other times only in exceptional cases.

Opponents of the ban believe it would be "an expression of a nonsensical and anti-social culture of prohibition".

In the city's voter information booklet on the referendum, they also note that the existing fines for excessive noise should be sufficient.

The city and municipal councils, however, argue that i

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