It is illegal to burn waste materials including:
- Household trash
- Business trash
- Construction/demolition debris
- Dumped waste
Do not:
- Place trash in a barrel or on the ground and set it on fire.
- Burn dumped waste.
- Allow an accumulation of combustible materials -- you are still liable if those materials catch fire due to vandalism, accidents, or acts of God.
Do:
- Be a good neighbor and be mindful of smoke when conducting exempt burning activities.
- Contact your local health department or fire department if someone’s burning is creating a nuisance and/or posing a threat to the health and safety of you and/or your property.
- Contact IDEM’s complaint coordinator to report illegal open burning and any other pollution concerns.
- Follow IDEM’s recommended alternatives to minimize the health risks and environmental impacts of open burning.