Dangers of Open Burning
Besides increasing likelihood of wildfires, burning household trash can cause harmful health effects due to the release of potentially dangerous compounds found in backyard fires.
It is difficult to tell exactly what compounds are released from an individual burn barrel. What comes out depends on the types of trash that went in, the temperature of the fire and the availability of oxygen.
The burning of synthetic compounds like plastics causes the release of dioxins and other potential carcinogens. Burn barrels usually have fires that burn at lower temperatures than large industrial incinerators. The lower temperature and smoldering fires often found in burn barrels result in harmful fumes released into the air and hazardous materials remaining in the ash.
According to the State Department of Health, some of the toxic chemicals released by burning household trash and their potential dangers include:
- benzene (leukemia)
- toluene diisocyanate (asthma)
- nitrogen oxides (lung damage)
- nitrile compounds (metabolic poisons and carcinogens)
Other toxic compounds released from burning trash may include:
- dioxins and formaldehyde
- hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid
- hydrogen cyanide
- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
- cadmium, lead, mercury and chromium
In areas where open burning is allowed, individuals should only burn the following materials: clean unpainted and uncoated wood, tree limbs, branches, twigs, lawn clippings, or woody vegetation other than stumps.
People should never burn the following items: plastic, foam cushions, furniture, rugs, floor coverings, appliances, rubber, tires, metals, glass, tree stumps, roots, asphalt shingles, any roofing materials, drywall, insulation, or any pressure treated wood (including deck lumber, railroad ties, and telephone poles treated with chromated copper arsenate, creosote or pentachlorophenol).
Additionally, individuals should never use the ashes from a burn barrel to fertilize a vegetable garden. The ashes can contain numerous hazardous materials that would be harmful if ingested.
Not only can open fires have adverse health effects, they can also spread into dangerous wildfires. DEC offers the following guidelines to minimize the risk of wildfire:
- never leave a fire unattended;
- always make sure a fire is completely out;
- do not build a fire on windy days;
- always have water and a rake or shovel on hand;
- keep your fire small enough so you can control it; and
- scrape all burnable materials at least ten feet away from a fire.
Instead of burning, DEC encourages people to reduce their generation of waste by purchasing products that have less packaging, reuse as much material as possible, compost kitchen and organic waste, and recycle what can't be reused (including paper, cardboard, cereal boxes, magazines, glass, metal containers, and many kinds of plastic).
DEC also reminds the public that any type of burning by a commercial or industrial enterprise is illegal unless a special permit is obtained from DEC. Agricultural operations are exempted from this provision of the law in all of DEC Region 4 except Columbia and Rensselaer counties.
Residential burning may require a DEC permit, depending on the location of the residence. Open burning is prohibited within incorporated villages and cities. To find out if a permit is required, individuals should contact their local Forest Ranger or nearest DEC regional office.
