Wood Smoke & Open Burning
It is common knowledge that cigarette smoke, a billowing dark plume of industrial smoke, or forest fire smoke is unhealthy to breathe. What isn't as widely recognized by the general public is that breathing smoke from residential wood burning is also unhealthy and can be a significant air quality issue.
Open burning is a term used to describe burning without the use of a stack or chimney, which allows any air pollution it creates to immediately enter the ambient - or open - air.
In practice, open burning includes:
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backyard bonfires and fire pits
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outdoor grills
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burn barrels
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the burning of leaves and refuse.
Public health and safety - as well as potential property damage - are the primary concerns when it comes to open burning.
While exposure to pollution from open burning activity can impact anyone, children, seniors, and those with existing health conditions (known as sensitive populations) face the greatest risk.
Types of Open Burning & Why They Are a Concern
Let’s explore two main types of open burning and how they harm human health:
Burn barrels & burning refuse: Burning trash can be a major health concern. Not only do refuse fires emit harmful pollutants into the ambient air, but the resulting smoke and soot can also travel far beyond a resident or business’ property line. Burn barrels are of specific concern because of their potential to emit toxic heavy metals like lead as well as unhealthy levels of carbon monoxide. Another major concern? Dioxin, a hazardous pollutant known to cause cancer.
Wood smoke: The potential health impacts related to wood smoke exposure can’t be overstated. It is composed of many air pollutants known to impact human health, including carbon monoxide, fine particulate pollution (also known as PM2.5), and sulfur dioxide. Exposure to wood smoke can cause breathing difficulties even in healthy people and is especially dangerous for those with existing health conditions such as asthma, triggering attacks. Southwestern Pennsylvania’s topography - all those hills and valleys - make matters worse because it traps wood smoke close to the ground where it can easily waft onto a neighboring property instead of dispersing into the open air.
Outdoor Wood-fired Burners - Outdoor wood boilers have stacks and are therefore not considered open burning, but because they are closely related, it’s worth addressing here. It should be noted that there are federal and statewide regulations in place for outdoor wood-fired burners because of their potential to create significant air pollution. Allegheny County has also implemented additional regulations OWB-related regulations, which can be found in Article XXI, §2104.09, “Outdoor Wood-Fired Boilers."
Open Burning Rules & Regulations
As it relates to air quality, open burning can be a complex issue. Not only do the associated rules vary by municipality (by way of ordinance) and/or county, their regulation applies to a wide variety of entities: residents, businesses, and other public institutions.
With that in mind, it should be noted that the regulation of Open Burning activities in Allegheny County differs substantially from the rest of the region. That’s because Allegheny County - not the state Department of Environmental Protection - is responsible for the regulation of ambient air quality, which includes open burning. Everything from fines to permitting differ based on the agency.
In this explainer, you will find information specific to both Allegheny County and the rest of southwestern Pennsylvania. Residents and municipal officials may be interested in how open burning is regulated other counties or municipalities, even if it doesn’t apply to them directly. Ordinance language and communications regarding open burning from one municipality could help provide a model for those communities seeking to make their local rules more protective of public health.
Allegheny County
In Allegheny County, the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) is the local authority charged with regulating air quality issues, including open burning. (See GASP's Air Permits Clearinghouse for more about how Allegheny County’s regulations differ from the rest of the state's.)
We encourage residents in Allegheny County to review ACHD’s current open burning rules. The bottom line is that open burning is prohibited except by permit or when done in a way that minimizes air pollution and prioritizes health and safety. For example, Small backyard fires are permitted as long as they are located 15 feet or farther away from neighboring properties or public access areas (think sidewalks and roadways).
Learn more about permitting on the county's website. Select the “Open Burning Permits” dropdown menu and click on the link to the “Open Burn Permit Application."
To file an open burning complaint, residents should call 412-687-2243 or visit the online Support Center, select Request Service/File Complaint, then Health Department, then Air Quality. Please note: Users may submit reports anonymously, but ACHD encourages users to create an account, allowing them to track the complaint and respond directly to any follow-up questions from the department.
Special Open Burning Restrictions for the Mon Valley Region
To make things even more confusing, there is a special rule that prohibits all wood burning activities in the Mon Valley. The only exception to the rule is burning for the commercial preparation of food. This rule goes into effect on days during which the Allegheny County Health Department issues a Mon Valley Air Pollution Watch or Warning. Residents can sign up to receive Mon Valley-specific alerts from the Allegheny County Health Department via email, text, or phone call on the county website.
Find our explainer about the Mon Valley Episode Rule here.
State Rules Governing Open Burning
While Allegheny County Health Department regulates and enforces a set of their own rules, DEP encourages municipalities to enact policies that limit open burning while providing sustainable alternatives, such as recycling and composting. DEP regional offices can be a resource for determining which options would be the best fit for specific communities.
Here’s what DEP has to say about the importance of local open burning regulations:
“...DEP feels that regulating open burning of household waste is best left in the hands of municipal officials. Under state law, they have the authority to enact an ordinance with requirements that are equal to or more stringent than state regulations. … In DEP’s experience, local officials are more aware of the needs in their communities and are better equipped to adjust requirements accordingly.” (Source: PA DEP Fact Sheet on Residential Open Burning, 2000)
To assist municipalities in all counties, DEP has developed several open-burning resources. One example is the model ordinance the agency makes available to municipalities seeking to include open burning in their ordinances. This model ordinance can serve as a helpful template and prevent officials from having to start crafting language from scratch.
DEP’s model ordinance includes a list of suggested exceptions to open burning restrictions, which can be adjusted by the municipality creating the legislation as long as the end result is not less strict than existing state or county regulations. The Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs has also drafted a sample ordinance for outside burning, to be adapted as needed for a municipality’s use.
A municipality may wish to reinforce existing countywide regulations or enact stricter measures, such as:
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designating no-burn days or
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reducing the number of feet permitted between burning and property lines.
Note: Municipalities with mandatory recycling programs generally will also have an open burning ordinance to prohibit the burning of materials that should instead be recycled.
GASP encourages residents concerned about the harmful effects of open burning to share these resources their local elected officials and, if possible, offer assistance in customizing an ordinance for your municipality. Let us know if we can help.
Burn Bans: The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is able to issue a ban on burning in specific areas when there is an increased risk of wildfires, generally at the request of officials such as fire chiefs, local government representatives, or the governor.
Reporting an Issue
If you are suffering from unreasonable burning from a neighbor and you live in Allegheny County, you can call the Allegheny County Health Department (412) 687-ACHD or click here to report an odor or opacity violation.
If you are outside of Allegheny County, call Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) at 412-442-4184 to file a complaint, or 412-442-4184 for emergencies. DEP also accepts open burning and other air quality complaints on its website (www.dep.pa.gov) through “environmental complaint” and “general inquiry” forms.
Find more information about making an air quality complaint here. Please let GASP know if you contact ACHD or DEP and how your complaint was handled by contacting info@gasp-pgh.org.
For more information on the environmental impacts of wood smoke, check out these resources:
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EPA Burn Wise - Information about safe, clean wood burning
