StopBurning.org

Backyard Burning

Open Burning

Open burning comprises many types of residential burning including burn barrels, open pit burning, and the burning of refuse (trash), furniture and other household waste.

Although many states have regulations in place limiting what, if anything, can be burned, this does not always translate to what happens at the municipal level.

In recent years, stringent controls have been placed on municipal, medical, and hazardous waste incinerators to reduce air pollutants. As a result, backyard burning by individuals is now the nation's largest quantified source of dioxins. Source: epa.gov