Burn Barrel

[N80]

I mentioned that burning garbage is a bad idea because some of the stuff nowadays can emit toxic fumes when burned. The amount may be small but it sure can affect the person standing next to the fire. If there is another convenient way to bring it to the dump then it is preferred. However, if it is legal for one to burn it, one has the freedom to do so if one wishes.

Absolutely. Common sense always has to figure in the equation. The law always presumes a lack thereof....including my home state as 2LaneCruzer pointed out above. The problem is, any smoke, toxic or not can cause problems for people with respiratory issues. Again, common sense. If you are an adult with respiratory issues then don't stand next to a burn barrel, a charcoal grill, camp fire, bonfire or whatever. If you are a parent of a child with such issues the same applies.

Sadly, to suggest that people take responsibility for their actions and use common sense is almost like hate speech these days.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I spent twenty some years as an environmental attorney, most of which was with the Oklahoma DEQ, Air Quality Division. Prohibition of open burning was one of the very earliest environmental regulations on the books. According to EPA, open burning accounted for something like half of the air pollution in the U.S.

It wasn't just burning of household trash, but such things as salvage (burning items like insulated wire or other items to recover the metals), burning of trash dumps, waste from sawmills and other industry. Even grocery stores often had incinerators to burn boxes, etc. My politics run very conservative, but environmental regulations, for the most part, have improved the air and water tremendously...but bureaucrats, being what they are, have over done it in places.

You'll find that in rural areas, most of the environmental regs are enforced by local folks, and as such, they don't try to bust their friends and neighbors for burning a little household trash...unless of course you burn a bunch of tires and make a lot of smoke, or they get a complaint.

 

[CajunRider]

I spent twenty some years as an environmental attorney, most of which was with the Oklahoma DEQ, Air Quality Division. Prohibition of open burning was one of the very earliest environmental regulations on the books. According to EPA, open burning accounted for something like half of the air pollution in the U.S.

It wasn't just burning of household trash, but such things as salvage (burning items like insulated wire or other items to recover the metals), burning of trash dumps, waste from sawmills and other industry. Even grocery stores often had incinerators to burn boxes, etc. My politics run very conservative, but environmental regulations, for the most part, have improved the air and water tremendously...but bureaucrats, being what they are, have over done it in places.

You'll find that in rural areas, most of the environmental regs are enforced by local folks, and as such, they don't try to bust their friends and neighbors for burning a little household trash...unless of course you burn a bunch of tires and make a lot of smoke, or they get a complaint.

Down here the biggest burner is the Wild Life and Fisheries people who will burn the marsh every now and then. Each time they do it we can see the smoke rises and forms clouds and we can smell the smoke everywhere. My neighbors every now and then will get a burn permit and burn their fields. I just mow mine.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Yep, the big boys...the government and agriculture...have always had their exemptions. These burns tend to be seasonal, however, and if done under the correct meteorological conditions, the effects are temporary.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Everything free to dump/recycle in my county in Maryland with proof of residency and non-commercial. Appliances, paint, oil, paper, stumps, oyster shells, etc. Only thing I've run into is they won't allow dump trucks or dump trailers, so I can only get rid of stumps that are small enough to roll off the truck/trailer by hand.

Not free in my county.

 

[N80]

Controlled burns are popular around here for trees and wildlife. I would love to do some of the areas on my property. It is a bit of a hassle, as it should be. You need lanes cut, permits, etc. The biggest hassle is not the steps needed to insure a safe burn. The big hassle is that wind conditions have to be such that the smoke won't bother other people. It can be hard to get all that to fall into place. The smoke issue is what gets me. We are a nation of delicate flowers...to put it mildly.

Having said that, I perfectly understand burn restrictions in urban areas. My permanent residence is in the downtown area of a small city. I don't burn leaves and don't really mind when others do, but you can affect a lot of people when you burn leaves where people live close together. The problem is that these laws, even when enforced, often just don't make sense. In town, you cannot burn yard trash, leaves and wood. But you can burn wood in your fireplace all day long. Likewise with a backyard fire pit. You can't burn kitchen trash but you can sure throw a pig on a giant smoker/trailer and smoke it all day long right downtown. (Again, I don't pretend to know the letter of the law I'm just observing what goes on around me...........and I burn actual real wood in my 4 fireplaces all winter long.) Fortunately none of these things bother me personally and I am blessed not to have respiratory problems.

Anyway, with my new trash burner (old wood stove) that I pictured above- I intend to continue to burn cardboard and paper trash down at my cabin. We usually bring kitchen trash home when there just a few days but when I'm there longer I will probably burn kitchen trash in it too. I'll just have to put some wood in there to get it hot enough to reduce the kitchen trash.

 

[CajunRider]

Controlled burns are popular around here for trees and wildlife. I would love to do some of the areas on my property. It is a bit of a hassle, as it should be. You need lanes cut, permits, etc. The biggest hassle is not the steps needed to insure a safe burn. The big hassle is that wind conditions have to be such that the smoke won't bother other people. It can be hard to get all that to fall into place. The smoke issue is what gets me. We are a nation of delicate flowers...to put it mildly.

Having said that, I perfectly understand burn restrictions in urban areas. My permanent residence is in the downtown area of a small city. I don't burn leaves and don't really mind when others do, but you can affect a lot of people when you burn leaves where people live close together. The problem is that these laws, even when enforced, often just don't make sense. In town, you cannot burn yard trash, leaves and wood. But you can burn wood in your fireplace all day long. Likewise with a backyard fire pit. You can't burn kitchen trash but you can sure throw a pig on a giant smoker/trailer and smoke it all day long right downtown. (Again, I don't pretend to know the letter of the law I'm just observing what goes on around me...........and I burn actual real wood in my 4 fireplaces all winter long.) Fortunately none of these things bother me personally and I am blessed not to have respiratory problems.

Anyway, with my new trash burner (old wood stove) that I pictured above- I intend to continue to burn cardboard and paper trash down at my cabin. We usually bring kitchen trash home when there just a few days but when I'm there longer I will probably burn kitchen trash in it too. I'll just have to put some wood in there to get it hot enough to reduce the kitchen trash.

This reminds me of college days. On the rare occasions that we had steaks, we would put the left over fat on the grill and "burn it out" along with the charcoal. That drove our neighbors crazy cuz the seasoned fat smoked so much.

 

[Al 2]

This company Muskoka Fire Pits makes quality fire pits from large propane tanks. Not sure of the wall thickness of the tanks but it is substantial and should last a long time. You could make a burn barrel from such a tank but suggest there is a large risk of explosion if not purged and cleaned correctly. Take it to a professional to get cut in two.
Al

 

[PILOON]

Down here the biggest burner is the Wild Life and Fisheries people who will burn the marsh every now and then. Each time they do it we can see the smoke rises and forms clouds and we can smell the smoke everywhere. My neighbors every now and then will get a burn permit and burn their fields. I just mow mine.

As usual being Gov't agency they are exempt from most regs,
It is called do as I say and not as I do!