Open burning is any set outdoor fire that does not vent to a chimney or stack. When burning refuse in burn barrels or open piles, the potential cost to your health, your neighbors, and your environment far exceeds the price of adequate collection services.
Why is Open Burning a Problem?
Open burning can release many kinds of toxic fumes. Leaves and plant materials send aloft millions of spores when they catch fire, causing many people with allergies to have difficulty breathing. The pollutants released by open burning also make it more difficult to meet health-based air quality standards, especially in or near large cities. The gases released by open burning can also corrode metal siding and damage paint on buildings.
Under Ohio law, these materials may not be burned anywhere in the state at any time:
- Garbage, any wastes created in the process of handling, preparing, cooking or consuming food
- Materials containing rubber, grease and asphalt or made from petroleum, such as tires, cars and auto parts, plastics or plastic-coated wire
- Dead animals
Other restrictions:
- Open burning is not allowed when air pollution warnings, alerts or emergencies are in effect.
- Fires cannot obscure visibility for roadways, railroad tracks or air fields.
- No wastes generated off the premises may be burned. For example, a tree trimming contractor may not haul branches and limbs to another site to burn.
For a complete copy of Ohio’s open burning regulations, please contact:
Ohio EPA
Division of Air Pollution Control
P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, OH 43216-1049
614.644.2270
epa.ohio.gov/dapc/general/openburning