Open Burning and Environmental Alternatives
last updated:
Leaf and Brush Burning
The burning of leaves and brush, other vegetation, as well as backyard trash burning, results in smoke. Smoke is caused by incomplete combustion. Smoke contains a number of hazardous air pollutants. Some of the components of smoke can cause cancer as well as other adverse health effects. Residential burning is generally regulated by local ordinances. What can you do? This page provides information on alternatives to residential leaf, brush and trash burning. You can increase you knowledge about the adverse impacts of smoke. You can educate others. The EPA can only regulate incomplete combustion emissions for major sources of air pollution such as automobiles and from larger stationary sources.
Public Service Video Clips
NOTE: To view these video clips, download the free QuickTime
Player. Select and run the video most appropriate for your system
These video clips are public domain and with appropriate credit can be freely used and distributed.
Fall Flashback" U.S. EPA Leaf Burning Alternative1993
Name: Run Video 33.6k
Connection required: 28.8k/33.6k Modem
Quality: 7
QuickTime version required: 3 |
Name: Run Video 56k
Connection required: 56k Modem/ISDN
Quality: 8
QuickTime version required: 3 |
Name: Run Video ISDN
Connection required: 112K Dual ISDN
Quality: 9
QuickTime version required: 3 |
Mother and Daughter" U.S. EPA Leaf Burning Alternative 1993
Name: Run Video 33.6k
Connection required: 28.8k/33.6k Modem
Quality: 7
QuickTime version required: 3< |
Name: Run Video 56k
Connection required: 56k Modem/ISDN
Quality: 8
QuickTime version required: 3 |
Name: Run Video ISDN
Connection required: 112K Dual ISDN
Quality: 9
QuickTime version required: 3 |
Magician" U.S. EPA Leaf Burning Alternative 1993
Name: Run Video 33.6k
Connection required: 28.8k/33.6k Modem
Quality: 7
QuickTime version required: 3 |
Name: Run Video 56k
Connection required: 56k Modem/ISDN
Quality: 8
QuickTime version required: 3 |
Name: Run Video ISDN
Connection required: 112K Dual ISDN
Quality: 9
QuickTime version required: 3 |
Selected Documents-Emissions from Open Burning
October 2005 |
Technical Paper |
Prescribed Burns and Wildfires in Colorado: Impacts of Mitigation Measures on Indoor Air Particulate Matter. David E. Henderson, Jana B. Milford and Shelly L. Miller. Journal of the Air
& Waste Management Association (JA&WMA), Vol. 55, No. 10, pp 1516-1526. |
|
November 1997 |
EPA-600/r-97-134a |
Evaluation of Emissions from the Open Burning of Household Waste in Barrels-Volume 1. Technical Report (CTC) |
|
November 1997 |
EPA-600/r-97-134b |
Evaluation of Emissions from the Open Burning of Household Waste in Barrels-Volume 2. Appendices A-G (CTC) |
|
March 1998 |
EPA/600/SR-97/134 |
Evaluation of Emissions from the Open Burning of Household Waste in Barrels |
|
January 1997 |
EPA/600/SR-96/128 |
Evaluation of Emissions from the Open Burning of Land-Clearing Debris |
|
October 1996 |
EPA-600/R-96-128 |
Evaluation of Emissions from the Open Burning of Land-Clearing Debris (CTC) |
|
1998 |
EPA/600/SR-98/013 |
Products of Incomplete Combustion from Direct Burning of Pentachlorophenol-treated Wood Wastes |
|
February 1998 |
EPA/600/SR-98/017 |
Emissions from Outdoor Wood-Burning Residential Hot Water Furnaces |
|
December, 1993 |
A Summary of the Emissions Characterization and Noncancer Respiratory Effects of Wood Smoke-EPA-453/R-93-036 |
|
July 1993 |
Analysis of Ambient Monitoring Data in the Vicinity of Open Tire Fires-EPA-453/R-93-029 |
|
Selected Documents-Alternatives to Open Burning
May 1991 |
EPA/530-SW-91-009 |
Environmental Fact Sheet: Yard Waste Composting |
|
May 1994 |
EPA530-R-94-003 |
Composting Yard Trimmings and Municipal Solid Waste |
|
October 1992 |
EPA-452/F-92-007 |
Residential Leaf Burning: An Unhealthy Solution to Leaf Disposal |
|
Other Wood and Vegetation Burning Resources