Burning garbage in a burn barrel, steel drum, woodstove, fireplace, outdoor boiler, open pit or any other ‘designated’ location is illegal in the Provincial of Nova Scotia.
Materials that give off hazardous emissions into the air when burned can include plastics, household chemicals, cardboard, paper products and inks. Paper products include dyes, coatings and chemicals that can emit dangerous gases. When these items are burned the air becomes contaminated with dioxins and heavy metals that can cause health problems.Heavy metals include: arsenic, barium, cadmium, lead and silver.
Children and the elderly are most at risk. Health problems include increased risk of cancer, developmental problems for children, eye damage, lung irritation, burns and skin irritations. Burial of ashes can pollute/contaminate the soil. Wildfires can start from careless debris fires such as burn barrels. Provincial fines for open burning range from $675 – $790 per offense.
The Municipality offers a full range of programs to assist residents in proper disposal of materials. Please call our Solid Waste Hotline at 1-888-873-3332 or my number below for information.
For
more information on this topic or answers to your other solid
waste questions call the Waste
Reduction Educator at (902) 758-2299.
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