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Backyard burning of garbage is an outdated practice that should be discontinued. Burning household 

trash and garbage in burn barrels, open piles, or in indoor or outdoor stoves or furnaces is still practiced in many rural areas. This practice is a major source of dioxin and other toxic emissions, damaging both our health and our environment. 

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ashington, DC 20460 

EPA530-F-03-003 

August 2003 State and Local Governments Are Key to 

Reducing Backyard Burning 

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 these polluSuccessfully Reducing Backyard Burning In response to growing health concerns, states are taking steps to curb backyard burning. Here are just a few examples. More information can be found on EPA’s backyard burning Web site. 

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• The northeastern states of Maine, New 

Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey have statewide bans on backyard bur

ning of household waste. 

• California recently enacted strict backyard 

trash burning regulations. 

• New York distributes brochures on the 

hazards of backyard burning at state and county fairs. 

• Wisconsin uses its Web site and other educational materials to campaign against illegal burning 

of wastes. 

Local governments are also taking action: • In Chisago County, Minnesota, residents 

turning in burn barrels and signing up for waste collection receive six months of service at half-price. 

• Forsyth County strictly enforces North 

Carolina’s statewide ban against burning garbage, penalizing first-time offenders with fines ranging from $100 to $10,000. 

• Webster City, Iowa, residents enlisted doctors 

to speak at city council meetings about their experiences treating patients affected by open burning. This helped council members enact a new local burning ban ordinance, even in the face of strong opposition by some residents. 

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The benefits of taking action against backyard burning extend beyond reducing health problems. In addition to being a nuisance to neighbors, backyard burning is a major source of property fires. Wisconsin estimates that about one-third of its forest fires are caused by open burning. Moreover, backyard 

burning can hinder state and municipal efforts to meet air quality standards. 

What You Can Do 

Work to provide residents with convenient, affordable alternatives to backyard burning. Many areas are successfully changing this practice using some of the following meth­ ods: 

Promote Alternatives to Backyard Burning 

• Establish and promote free or low-cost drop-off centers for residents who want to self-haul or recycle. • Create a burn barrel exchange program to provide disposal service discounts to partic­ ipants while educating them regarding dis­ posal alternatives. • Distribute information on public or com­ mercial collection, recycling, and disposal

services. 

Educate Residents • Conduct outreach programs to change behavior, such as print or radio ads and brochures (available from EPA as templates for your own modifications). 

Regulate and Enforce 

• Establish and enforce effective regulations and ordinances. • Train county police, fire marshalls, and health and environmental inspectors on local ordinances and authorize them to 

issue fines, as well as educate residents. 

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