Burn Barrels

"What would you say if you heard that a thousand municipal waste incinerators were to be located in the Susquehanna Valley? You would be justifiably concerned about contamination to the local air, water, and soil.  According to the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, this problem already exists because burning trash in a burn barrel produces as much pollution as a municipal incinerator. Even a hot “proper” backyard trash fire produces a witch’s brew of cancer causing Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons, dioxins, and heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, and lead.  Hauling your trash is not as expensive as you may think.  The typical family of four can pay as little as [$12] a month, if they also work to reduce, reuse and recycle... That's pretty cheap when you consider the cost that burning trash can have on our health and our children’s health." -- Excerpt from WKOK radio spot by Sam Pearson. Click here to listen to discussion, site available through 11.23.07.

Links for more info:

"Banning Burn Barrels", Penn State University, revised 9.2005.

Open Burning Information, PA Dept of Environmental Protection.