Backyard burning of garbage has been illegal in Minnesota since 1969.
The pollution caused by open garbage burning is unhealthy for wildlife and people. It damages not only the air quality, but also the soil and water--and not just somewhere else, but in your own backyard!
Open burning is the cause of many grass, brush, forest and structure fires.
Many of the items commonly burned could be reused, recycled or composted:
- newspaper and cardboard;
- yard waste and food scraps;
- used oil and office paper;
- bottles and lumber scraps;
- magazines and cans.
Don't Burn Your Garbage!
An individual may claim to be operating a transfer station or recycling business and accept waste at an unpermitted facility, only to abandon the facility when it reaches capacity. A resident may dump wastes that did not get picked up by local waste haulers, such as bulky items, carpeting, or household hazardous wastes. In many cases, illegal dumpers are breaking other laws relating to vehicle licensing, insurance, drug possession, or theft.
Why is Illegal Dumping a Problem?
The health risks associated with illegal dumping are significant.
-
Areas used for illegal dumping may be easily accessible to people, especially children, who are vulnerable to the physical (protruding nails or sharp edges) and chemical (harmful fluids or dust) hazards posed by wastes.
-
Rodents, insects, and other vermin attracted to dump sites may also pose health risks.
-
Dump sites with scrap tires provide an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, which can multiply 100 times faster than normal in the warm, stagnant water standing in scrap tire casings. Severe illnesses, including encephalitis and dengue fever, have been attributed to disease-carrying mosquitoes originating from scrap tire piles.
-
Dump sites serve as magnets for additional dumping and other criminal activities.
-
As a result of illegal dumping, property values decrease and the community becomes unattractive to commercial and residential developers.
