The most common item burned at the backyards of homes is paper and sometime even polythene. Fallen leaves or branches of trees after being trimmed are also being burned. Most of time, the garbage are burnt without using a burn barrel, wood stove, or fire-pit The resulting ashes are left on the soil.
The green gases (CO2) released to the environment also contributes to Global Warming.
Burning of garbage at home is dangerous to human health and can harm the environment (pollution), according Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
The agency states following reason for making garbage burning as hazardous for us and the environment:
- Small fires mean big trouble. Typical home fires are small and inefficient. They produce a lot of smoke, as well as a variety of toxic substances—even burning seemingly harmless materials like paper.
- Garbage has changed. Today's household trash contains a lot of plastics and paper treated with chemicals, coatings, and inks.
- Smoke. Pollutants from backyard burning of trash are released primarily into the air, and close to ground level where they are easily inhaled—with no pollution controls!
- Ash that remains contains concentrated amounts of these toxic materials that can blow away or seep into the soil and groundwater.
The alternative for burning garbage
- Recycle - paper, glass can be recycled.
- Produce Compost. By using compost bins, garbage can be turned in to compost. Waste such as food, waste from the yard (fallen leaves) can be turned into compost. The resulting compost can used for your garden.
- Re-use items such as polythene which are not bio degradable. Buy less polythene and re-use whatever you at home.
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