Open Burning
Why shouldn't I burn? Can I burn in my village or town? What are the environmental effects of burning garbage in my backyard? Did you know that burn barrels are unhealthy? If you burn, there's something you should know.
What is open burning? Open burning is defined as burning any combustible material outdoors without any air pollution controls in place. Burning in an unconfined area, a container or a pile are all considered to be open burning.
Certain items like clean wood are okay to burn, while items such as leaves and grass clippings are discouraged because of the adverse environmental impact of pollutants in smoke. Burning of solid waste materials such as treated wood, plastic, household garbage and most all other trash is prohibitied statewide and local ordinances may be more stringent than statewide requirements.
There are many alternatives to open burning. This page will assist those citizens or municipalities wanting to know more about open burning regulations and related topics.
Copies of DNR publications on this site and more can be ordered through your local DNR Service Center. Other government publications might require a fee to obtain.
Contact Information
Visit our "Who to Call" page for specific contacts.
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