Burning trash allows you to dispose of your waste without having to transport it to the landfill.If you decide to burn some of your trash, you should know how to do it safely and legally.By burning safe materials and keeping your fire under control, you can protect yourself, your property, and your environment.Do it yourself fires do not have advanced technologies such as energy recovery and pollution control.
Step 1: Recyclables should be separated from the rest of your trash.
Remove anything that can be recycled from your trash.More and more people are using recycling services.There are a lot of resources that can help you find a recycling facility or a drop-off location.Plastic bottles and bottle caps should be recycled instead of burned.
Step 2: Toxic smoke will be created from your trash.
There are things in your trash that are very dangerous to burn.These materials are harmful to the environment.Toxic chemicals (drop-off instead) Plastic and rubber should never be burned.Dioxins, which are toxic to humans and harmful to the environment, are released from burning plastic and rubber.There are magazines.When burned, the ink used in magazines is toxic.There are aerosol cans.Aerosol cans can explode when exposed to high temperatures.Pressure-treated wood is coated and painted.Many of the chemicals used to paint or treat wood are toxic.
Step 3: It's a good idea to burn paper and yard clippings.
Some items of trash can be burned without exposing yourself or your environment to toxic smoke.Non-recyclable cardboard is one of the items that burn easily.Unless specific recycling facilities explicitly accept them, cardboard coated with wax can't be recycled.Make sure you know what the paper you are burning is coated with.The paper is non-recyclable.There is yard debris.Grass, tree branches, and dead leaves can be safely burned.Compost them.
Step 4: There are local laws about backyard burning.
When you can burn your trash is one of the laws passed by many states.Other places have banned it completely.Refer to your state and local governments for information about backyard burning restrictions in your area.Penalties for breaking those restrictions should be learned.
Step 5: A clearing has a spot for you to select.
The space above you is clear of trees, buildings, vehicles, and power and phone lines.Your fire may cause sparks to fly up above your fire.
Step 6: If you want to control the smoke from your fire, use a burn barrel.
Burn barrels are easy to set up and help control the amount of smoke and ash that a fire produces.They have a place to store ashes and debris after you burn your trash.To make a burn barrel, place 2 cinder blocks on top of a steel drum.The easiest way to allow air into the drum is to drill at least 20 1 inch wide holes around the entire drum.If you are going to leave your burn barrel in place for a while, you may want to drill a few holes in it.You should never burn plastic in burn barrels.The dioxins produced by burning plastic in the immediate area around the fire are trapped by burn barrels.You and others are more likely to breathe in.
Step 7: You can build a fire pit without a burn barrel.
You can set up a fire pit if you don't want to use a burn barrel.Fire pits are small areas in your yard where you have cleared away any grass, twigs and branches that might catch on fire unintentionally.A fire pit is an easy way to watch the fire and control its size.Clear a space of at least 3 feet in diameter.The grass can be cleared with a rake, hoe, or shovel.Make a depression in the middle of your pit.It will help the coals stay near the center of the fire.The outside of your fire pit should be lined with rocks.The rocks will help retain the heat of the fire, and will provide a safe place for any ashes or embers to land.
Step 8: You should wait for calm, wet weather to burn your trash.
Do not burn trash in windy weather.The chance of a stray ember from your fire setting the trees or grass on fire increases.If the weather forecast is for gusts of wind greater than 32 km per hour, never burn trash.
Step 9: If the air quality is good, burn your trash.
You don't want to add more smoke to the atmosphere if the air in your region is unsafe to breathe.Before burning your trash, you should check your local weather forecast.The EPA has created a scale to monitor air quality, with 6 different stages ranging from "good" to "hazardous" as the worst quality.When the air quality is good, you should only burn trash.
Step 10: There is a fire extinguisher at your side.
Make sure you can put the fire out in an emergency before you burn your trash.You can burn your trash within reach of your garden hose, or you can keep a large fire extinguisher at your side.There are several large buckets of water ready.
Step 11: Put your burn pile together.
Trash can be placed in your burn barrel or fire pit.If you are burning a small amount of trash, you shouldn't burn it all at once.You can burn 1 full trash bag at a time in a burn barrel.In a fire pit, you want to keep the pile of burning material small, no more than 2 feet high, and centered in the middle of the pit.If you have a lot of trash, save some for later.
Step 12: The fire should be lit.
Set some kindling at the base of your pile once you have placed your trash in your burn barrel or fire pit.The rest of the trash can be easily caught on fire.Use a fireplace match or a utility butane lighter to ignite the kindling while keeping your hands away from it.Paper towel rolls filled with dryer lint and cardboard or newspapers soaked in candle wax make excellent kindling.Don't use a chemical to start your fire.
Step 13: Don't leave the fire unattended.
If the fire is still active, stay near the burn barrel or fire pit.Pay attention to the direction the smoke is moving.If the wind is getting faster or the smoke is carrying sparks and ashes towards your house, trees, or any other fire hazard, you should let your fire die out, even if there is trash left over.
Step 14: As the fire cools down, add more trash to it.
If the fire is still burning and you still have trash to burn, add it to the burn pile once the flames have cooled down.Drop pieces of trash onto the pile.There will be smoke, ashes, and sparks when the fire is out.You can tell by the color of the flames if a fire has cooled by feeling the heat.Blue, white, and reddish-white flames are hotter than dark red and orange flames.If you're burning trash in a fire pit, you can place the trash on the ground and push it towards the fire with a metal shovel or rake.You should be in control of the fire.
Step 15: The fire should be extinguished once it has been reduced to ashes.
Wait for the fire to die down after your trash has been burned.You need to make sure the fire is completely out before you leave because small fires can be reignited with a gust of wind.Douse or smother the fire once it's all gone.Slowly pour water onto the ashes to put out a fire.The ashes should be mixed with the water with a large stick or metal shovel.If you want to mix again, add more water.Continue adding water until you are certain that all of the embers have left.You can put out a fire with water.You can mix the ashes and coals with the dirt at the bottom of the fire pit by using a large stick, metal shovel or rake.