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Greenbytes: May 6, 2005 Edition
In this Issue
Greetings from EPA New England. We hope you find this edition of Greenbytes useful and we encourage you to give us feedback. For information on subscribing or unsubscribing see the section at the end of this message.
Feature:
Backyard Burning of Household Trash - Preventable Air Pollution
By Robert Varney
Now that Spring is in the air everywhere we go - and not a moment too soon! - many New Englanders refresh themselves by spending time tackling outdoors projects. People across our region are preparing garden plots and lawns, repairing gutters and cleaning out leaves and other accumulated debris from around our homes. Unfortunately, one common practice, especially in rural parts of New England, is to burn leaves and other yard waste as a fast way to get rid of unwanted debris.
Several months ago I met with my counterpart for EPA's New York/New Jersey regional office, as well as the environmental commissioners of the eight Northeast states to sign a resolution calling for regional action to reduce air pollution from open, uncontrolled burning of household trash. All New England states, plus N.Y. and N.J. joined EPA in supporting this measure.
There are long-standing state and local bans throughout much of the Northeast against burning household trash. However, any of us who are able to travel a bit through our beautiful states know that some residents, especially in rural areas, routinely burn household trash and other material in the back yard (often in what are called burn barrels, typically a 55-gallon drum). This practice seems to increase during this time of year.
Burning household trash in the inefficient, relatively low-temperature combustion typical of open barrel burning releases excessively high amounts of dangerous toxic pollutants. One recent study found that a family of four that burns their household trash may release as many highly toxic dioxins and furans into the air as a well-controlled municipal waste incinerator serving tens of thousands of households. It is now estimated that backyard burning is one of the largest remaining sources of dioxin in the U.S. - though it is also worth noting that this is so because EPA has very successfully limited most larger industrial sources of dioxin in the environment.
The fact is, open burning of residential trash is a significant, but unnecessary and preventable, source of air pollution. Barrel burning presents a unique challenge to everyone who cares about clean air. Burning trash in rural back yards releases dioxins, heavy metals and other pollutants that pose serious threats to public health, and among those most at risk are the families living in the immediate area. Exposure to smoke from open burning may have immediate and long-term health effects, including coughing, nausea, headaches, dizziness, asthma attacks, increased risk of cancer and aggravation of respiratory symptoms, especially in people with heart or lung disease.
Working together, EPA and our partners in the Northeast states are resolved to further reduce this air pollution source. One key is better public education, and also we will redouble efforts to promote safer solid waste management options.
Specifically, with the resolution we recently signed, the EPA regional administrators and environmental commissioners resolved to:
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Work together to understand the magnitude of the problem and its potential impacts;
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Collaborate in educating the public about the risks associated with uncontrolled open burning of trash and the importance of using safer alternatives for waste disposal;
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Support state and local authorities that enforce bans and issue permits restricting open trash-burning;
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Support proper solid waste management options, including recycling, that are both convenient and cost-effective;
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Strengthen state and local restrictions or broaden bans, where appropriate; and
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Share state and local outreach and assistance projects to learn from those experiences.
The resolution was developed by air quality and solid waste officials, representing both Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) and Northeast Waste Management Officials' Association (NEWMOA) with support from EPA.
Taking action to raise consciousness on this source of air pollution is something that we all, collectively, can and should pursue. Our air will be cleaner and our communities will be healthier as a result.
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Brief Bytes
America Celebrates National Drinking Water Week
As we near the end of National Drinking Water Week (May 1 - 7), it's appropriate to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act and to note the vital role water plays in our every day life. We all need to protect and conserve drinking water supplies.
Community water systems are the backbone of public health protection. It takes committed efforts of thousands of citizens at the local, state, and federal levels to ensure that our water supplies are clean, safe and secure. Actions taken by individuals affect the quality of water and the level of treatment required for safe drinking water to flow from our taps.
More information about drinking water protection and participation is available at: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/publicoutreach/ .
Clean Diesel Grants Available
Under the National Clean Diesel Campaign, EPA will be accepting
applications for projects to reduce emissions from nonroad
vehicles and equipment. These projects would reduce diesel
emissions through the use of retrofit technologies on various
types of vehicles, such as construction, agriculture and
port-related equipment. EPA anticipates awarding 8-12 cooperative
agreements, ranging from $50,000-$150,000. The deadline
for receipt of applications is July 1, 2005. Additional
information on the grant applications is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/air/grants_funding.html#trans . Information
on EPA's National Clean Diesel Campaign is available at:
http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/ .
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Press Releases
Plainfield, CT - After massive fire, EPA commits $500 K in additional emergency funding for clean-up
Laconia, NH - Correctional facility ordered to stop discharging polluted wastewater
Troy, N.H. - Work continues at Troy Mills Superfund site
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Meetings & Conferences
TRI Workshops:
EPA New England, along with our state partners, is offering FREE, half-day workshops on the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) at locations throughout New England. The workshops, intended for experienced TRI reporters, are designed for environmental engineers, consultants, and owners or operators of manufacturing facilities currently reporting TRI data as required by the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA). The workshop will cover a variety of topics, enforcement, electronic reporting and answers to your questions.
Dates and Locations follow; click on the link for more information:
Raymark Advisory Committee
Tues. May 10
Mass. Military Range (MMR) Plume Cleanup Team
Wed. May 11
Fort Devens Restoration Advisory Board
Thurs. May 12
S. Weymouth Naval Airstation Restoration Advisory Board
Thurs. May 12
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Regional
No Discharge Zones page - Easier to read Map
National
Stephen L. Johnson sworn in as eleventh EPA Administrator
Spring Into Lawn Care - Useful seasonal info
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"In The News" is a free daily service that provides links to today's top newspaper stories about the New England environment and links to related EPA New England information.
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