Smoking sections

When homeowners burn leaves, they do more than get rid of their yard waste. They create a health problem, says one Cape Girardeau woman who wants the city council to limit such burning.

Robin Boyer's 9-year-old daughter suffers from asthma. Smoke from homeowners burning leaves makes it harder for her daughter and other asthma sufferers to breathe outdoors, she said.

"You can't open your windows," said Boyer, who lives on Old Hopper Road.

Boyer wants the city council to at least limit open burning near schools, parks and recreation fields.

About 6 percent of school-age children in Cape Girardeau miss school and make frequent trips to doctors' offices and hospital emergency rooms because of asthma, Boyer said, citing county health department statistics.

But city officials said barring open burning around schools, parks and recreational fields would require numerous no-burn zones, which would be hard to explain to residents and difficult to enforce.

"I don't see how you can make stricter rules around schools," said Councilwoman Evelyn Boardman.

City manager Doug Leslie said it would be easier to simply prohibit open burning throughout the city.

So far, the city council hasn't embraced that idea.

Mayor Jay Knudtson said some residents habitually burn their leaves and yard waste. "There are some very proud burners out there," he said.

Councilwoman Debra Tracy burns leaves in her yard on Highland Drive.

The city will vacuum up leaves raked to the curb. But under the city's leaf pickup program, city crews go through each neighborhood only once a year.

Tracy said her leaves often don't fall until after city crews have come through her neighborhood. Her solution is to burn her pile of leaves.

But Councilwoman Marcia Ritter, a retired nurse, suggested the council take a hard look at the health issue.

Ritter questioned whether the community's ready for a complete ban but said the council should look at the possibility of further limiting open burning.

"We need to educate ourselves as a council," she said.

Asthma affects about 15 million Americans, nearly 5 million of whom are under the age of 18.

About 5,000 people die each year from asthma-related health problems, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Md.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the burning of leaves creates a health risk.

The smoke contains pollutants. If inhaled, the microscopic particles can lodge deep in the lungs and remain there for months or even years, the EPA said on its Web site.

Breathing in the smoke can increase the chances of respiratory infection, reduce the volume of air inhaled and impair the lungs' ability to use that air. It also can trigger asthma attacks in some people, the EPA said.

Usually a safety issue

Cape Girardeau fire chief Rick Ennis said many cities across the country prohibit residential open burning, but for fire safety reasons.

"I've never heard it framed as a health concern," he said.

Carbondale, Ill., prohibits all burning within the city limits unless it involves an approved incinerator.

The city does allow burning to clear land, but such activity requires a state EPA permit.

Carbondale fire chief Jeff Anderson said the ban on residential open burning has helped prevent structure fires. Residents used to leave yard fires unattended.

"The next thing you know, a garage, barn or house was involved," he said.

Anderson said Carbondale has banned residential open burning for more than a decade. There are few violations.

"Most people in Carbondale know there is no open burning," he said.

The city picks up bagged yard waste year-round. Carbondale residents have to buy a sticker to place on each bag. Each sticker costs 75 cents, and residents must put their yard waste in clear trash bags.

Paducah, Ky., abides by Kentucky EPA regulations, which largely prohibit open burning in cities with populations of more than 8,000.

Cape Girardeau restricts open burning. But city officials acknowledge that the public often is unaware of the restrictions. Even council members said they didn't know some of the burning rules.

Cape Girardeau allows open burning for developers to clear land. But developers must first obtain permits from the fire department and the Missouri Department of Natural Resource.

The city requires residents to obtain permits to burn large brush piles in their yards. Fire officials will visit the site and make sure the brush pile is safe to burn before issuing a permit.

Residents don't need a city permit to burn leaves, grass and small limbs.

Still, Ennis encourages residents to notify the fire department whenever they plan to burn leaves.

Cape Girardeau allows residents to burn leaves and yard waste from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Such open burning must be more than 50 feet from a structure and residents can't leave fires unattended.

Jackson has similar restrictions, except as to the hours. Jackson residents can burn leaves from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Fire chief Brad Golden said the hours for burning were copied from Missouri Department of Natural Resources regulations when the city adopted its ordinance in 1998.

The time frame allows residents to burn leaves early in the morning when it is cooler out and also provides evening hours, which makes it convenient for people who work during the day, Golden said.

"We very seldom get calls for an illegal burn," he said.

If someone has breathing problems that are irritated by smoke from an open fire and complains to the fire department, fire officials will ask the property owner to put out the fire and burn leaves another day.

"I haven't had anyone refuse to abide by that," Golden said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123