New York State Outlawed Your Burning Barrel?
Ask most people around here and they will tell you that it is either football season or pumpkin spice season. But for some, it is the time of the year to do some cleanup around their property. That might mean that some of the debris or trash is easier to be burned than taken away to a waste facility.
There is something special about an outdoor fire during the fall. A cold, crisp day seems perfect for burning some firewood and yard waste. But New York State has a warning for those who might burn things in drum or barrel.
It is not necessarily the fact that you choose to burn it's just how according to what I have read on the State Department of Conservation's website. Barrels are just not fit for proper burning.
Burn barrels are a very dirty way to dispose of trash. They produce polluted air because fires in barrels are rarely hotter than 500°F. That's not hot enough for complete combustion, and incomplete combustion leads to harmful smoke and soot.
There is nothing better than the fall in New York State. This past week, we saw record or near record high temperatures for most of the towns across the state. But we all know that won't last long and the cold air will be here soon. New York State reminds you that if you are burning firewood to stay warm at home or camping or tailgate parties, be mindful of how you transport that firewood.
While most firewood must be untreated, some firewood is heat treated (kiln dried) to control invasive insect species if it is to be transported over 50 miles.