Although burning garbage in a burn barrel or stove has been illegal for over four decades, up to 25% of rural residents still burn their own garbage, according to the Otter Tail County Solid Waste Department.
The department is asking residents to finally put the burn barrel away, as the practice is a misdemeanor offense, garbage service is widely available and affordable, and there are negative health and environmental impacts from burning garbage.
Garbage has changed dramatically from what it once was, Assistant Solid Waste Director Zach Fjestad said in a news release from Otter Tail County.
“There is a lot more plastic and chemicals in the garbage today,” Fjestad said. “All that plastic packaging is full of toxins.”
Even a plain white piece of paper is now treated with chemicals and bleaching agents, and inks can include lead and other heavy metals, according to the department.
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According to the news release, much more is also known about the hazards to human health and the environment. Health concerns range from watery eyes, coughing, and respiratory illnesses like asthma and emphysema to even the more serious nervous system, kidney, and liver damage, as well as developmental and reproductive disorders. Even if the person burning garbage doesn’t show immediate effects, cancer-causing dioxins in smoke settle on soil, water, and crops and enter the food chain. Once there, dioxins can spread far away from their original source and build up in the food we eat.
In addition, burning garbage outdoors increases wildlife health risks, contaminates air, soil and water, and is the leading cause of wildfires in Minnesota.
Garbage sent to the Perham Resource Recovery Facility is combusted in a high heat environment that destroys harmful compounds, and has state of the art pollution control equipment – a backyard burn barrel or stove has a relatively low heat of combustion, and emits more dioxin than a facility like the PRRF does, the news release says.
“Garbage collection is available throughout Otter Tail County, so everyone can dispose of their garbage in a responsible manner,” Fjestad said. “As far as utilities go, garbage service is still one of the least expensive ones. Homeowners can also self-haul to any of Otter Tail County’s six transfer stations.”
For more information about the environmental impacts of burning garbage, what can be burned, a list of local garbage haulers and proper disposal of household waste, visit ottertailcountymn.us/solid-waste . To report illegal burning, please contact the Solid Waste Department at 218-998-8950.
