Healthier (and More Considerate) Alternatives to Backyard Burning
Smoke from burning yard and house-hold waste is unhealthy to breathe, particularly for small children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with asthma or other respiratory ailments.
Burning refuse emits many dangerous air toxins, including dioxin. Dioxin is a probable carcinogen and has been linked to problems associated with your kidneys, heart and brain, as well as your immune system, your nervous system, your reproductive system, and your gastro-intestinal system.
Nationally, data from the Environmental Protection Agency suggest that backyard burning could now be the largest contributor of dioxin emissions in the U.S. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) estimates that open burning of residential garbage contributes 47% of all the airborne dioxin in Oregon.
Dioxin particles released from backyard burning fall onto grasses and feed eaten by farm animals and can accumulate in sediments in rivers, where they ultimately pass up the food chain to fish. Beef, pork, fish, shellfish and animal and human milk are the major sources of human exposure.
DEQ prohibits backyard burning in and around the Portland metropolitan area, and certain local city and county ordinances ban it in other areas of the state. But, in many parts of the state, backyard burning is not prohibited. Instead, there are restrictions on burning on a seasonal basis.
A few things are never allowed to be burned outdoors at any time any-where in Oregon, including: rubber products, plastic, wet garbage, petroleum, asphalt or industrial waste, and any material that creates dense smoke or noxious odors. For more information on state open burning restrictions and rules, you can visit the Oregon DEQ’s Oregon Open Burning Guide for complete information, or call DEQ at 503-229-5395 for a printed version.
Many healthier alternatives to burning trash in backyards exist, including:
- composting leaves, lawn clippings, yard debris and garbage whenever possible
- avoiding purchasing disposable products
- buy products that can be reused or recycled
- separating, recycling and reusing plastics, papers and metal cans
- disposing of garbage properly through roadside garbage pick-ups
- for larger items, items that may contain toxic materials, or items that are not combustible, waiting for community “spring clean-ups” for disposal
These alternatives are easy to implement and will make the entire community safer and healthier for everyone.
