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What was once an easy and cheap method of disposing of waste now poses serious health and environmental concerns. Because of the many products we consume, today’s waste is filled with toxic chemicals that weren’t around 50 or 60 years ago. Once pollutants are in the air, there is no way to prevent them from depositing on crops and water sources.
Some pollutants, such as dioxins, are persistent and bioaccumulative: their concentration levels increase as they move up the food chain, with the highest level of concentrations in humans. Other pollutants cause cancer. Still others damage the central nervous system.
Clean air regulations continue to become more stringent because research has shown human health is impacted to a greater extent than previously thought.
For questions or concerns about open burning, please contact the DNR Field Office for your area.
Back to topRegulations & Instructions
- Iowa's Open Burning Rules
- Fact Sheet on Building Burn Rules
- Training Fire or Controlled Burn of a Demolished Building Notification Form & Instructions
Education & Outreach
Back to topLeaf Burning
Smoke from burning leaves, grass, brush, and most plants contain high concentrations of pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, particulate matter (soot), toxic chemicals, and reactive gasses that can contribute to smog formation.
The smoke can be an immediate health concern for some people. Pollution levels adjacent burn areas can exceed human health standards.
What's in Leaf Smoke?
Carbon monoxide binds with hemoglobin in the bloodstream to reduce oxygen flow. Carbon monoxide can be dangerous for young children, smokers, the elderly, and people with chronic heart or lung disease.
Particulate matter refers to microscopic soot particles. Too small to be seen individually with the unaided eye, dense concentrations are visible as smoke. These particles are less than 2.5 microns in size -- roughly the thickness of a human red blood cell. They can become embedded in lung tissue and are known to contribute to premature death, affect persons with heart conditions and trigger asthmatic reactions for some people.
Hazardous chemicals; Benz(a)pyrene is known to cause cancer in animals and is believed to be a factor in lung cancer caused by smoking. It is present in leaf smoke.
Please learn not to burn. Composting, mulching and bagging are cleaner options.
Back to topGarbage/Trash Burning
'Backyard burning' of common household trash and garbage emits substantial amounts of poisons and toxins into our environment. The smoke is a known health and environmental hazard. EPA emission tests show one burn barrel emits up to 80 times more pollution and up to 11 times the dioxin per pound of garbage burned than a municipal waste incinerator that serves tens of thousands of homes. Residential trash burning is now the nation’s largest source of dioxin emissions.
State rules prohibit burning items that can be locally recycled. Common household trash such as synthetics, plastics, metals, and packaging release potent chemicals when burned. Even common paper products such as junk mail, cardboard, newsprint, and magazines contain chemical dyes, coatings, pigments and chlorine.
Emissions include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, acids and toxins such as vinyl chloride, heavy metals, dioxins and furans to name a few. Inhalation may cause immediate irritation or asthmatic attack. Exposure increases the long-term health risks for respiratory problems, cancers, birth defects, developmental abnormalities and other serious health problems for burners and persons downwind. These may occur many years after exposure.
Several toxic chemical emitted are PBTs--Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxins. They take many decades to breakdown and are building up in the environment and some food chains, posing additional risks when consumed. PBTs are a national pollutant of concern.
Burning household trash in piles, barrels and pits is a poor combustion method with low temperatures, poor oxygen flow and lack of emission controls unlike municipal incinerators. Please learn not to burn. Sanitary disposal and recycling are safe, clean and convenient options. For materials, contacts and resources for cleaner disposal, check out the Iowa DNR Waste Management website.
You can help keep poison out of our air, food, water and soil by finding cleaner waste disposal options and using alternatives to burning.
Back to topDo Not Burn
- Rubber tires (Not even just one)
- Materials containing asbestos
- Asphalt
- Railroad ties
- Treated wood
- Dead animals
- Demolition debris
- Petroleum products
- Plastic
- Metals
- Carpet
- Furniture
This is not a complete list. Before burning, contact the DNR or your city or county government office. Local ordinances may be stricter than state rules. Polk and Linn counties require burning permits. Other local governments may also require permits.
Back to topExemptions for Materials That May Be Burned
- Recreational fires for cooking, heating, recreation and ceremonies are allowed.
- Landscape waste originating on the premises can be burned unless prohibited by local ordinance. However the burning of landscape waste produced in clearing, grubbing and construction operations is limited to areas located at least one-quarter mile from any building inhabited by anyone other than the landowner or tenant conducting the open burning.
- Bona fide training fires for public or industrial employees in firefighting methods are allowed. The DNR must be notified at least 10 working days before the proposed controlled burn. Materials containing asbestos must be removed and an asbestos inspection must be conducted prior to the burn. See more about training fires.
- Burning demolished buildings by city governments are allowed with certain restrictions. The DNR must be notified at least 10 working days prior to the demolition and at least 30 days before the proposed controlled burn. A more complete listing of restrictions is available online.
- The burning of disaster rubbish is exempted for the duration of the community disaster where an officially declared emergency condition exists.
- Residential waste can be burned in the backyard of dwellings of four-family units or less in cities without ordinances prohibiting the action. Garbage, tires, trade wastes, and any locally recyclable goods or plastics are specifically excluded in the definition of "residential waste" and therefore cannot be burned.
- Burning landscape waste which originates on the premises and is generated as a result of agricultural activities such as crop harvesting or livestock raising is allowed unless it is prohibited by local ordinance.
- Burning of paper or plastic pesticide containers and seed corn bags resulting from farming activities on the premises is allowed. Burning must occur at least one quarter mile from any building inhabited by another person, as well as from a livestock area, wildlife area or water source. The maximum burn allowed is one day’s accumulation or 50 pounds, whichever is less.
- Burning of agricultural structures on the premises with advance permission from the local fire chief is allowed. Materials containing asbestos must be removed unless the building is a single residential structure. All asphalt shingles must be removed prior to the burn. See complete list of conditions at www.iowadnr.gov/asbestos.
- Land managed under the federal conservation reserve program as well as prescribed burns for purposes of restoring, reconstruction of, or managing natural area vegetation such as prairies, grasslands, wetlands, woodlands, or wildlife habitat is allowed under the same conditions as allowed for other landscape waste. Only landscape materials may be burned.