Is it safe to burn leaves?

10/15/2015 (Permalink)

With fall upon us, the question of the safety of burning leaves comes up.  Leaves pile up and bagging them for the city to take away can be a hassle.  Despite the inconvenience, you should not burn leaves.  Burning leaves can cause problems to an individuals’ heath as well as damage to the environment.

When leaves are burned, they can release several gasses and particulates that are hazardous to human health.  There is moisture in leaves which cause them to burn slowly and release soot, dust and other solid materials into the air.  These items, if breathed in, can cause respiratory problems.  Gasses that are released can also cause problems in the bloodstream if inhaled.

The particulates released into the air by burning can cause a serious drop in air quality.  Multiple leaf fires in an area greatly increase this risk.

An easy solution to burning that is actually beneficial to the environment is composting.  By composting leaves, a great soil conditioning agent is created!

For more information please visit the EPA’s website