Air Defenders: Air Defenders: The Quest For Clean AirThe Quest For Clean Air

A Community Education A Community Education Program on Air Quality and Program on Air Quality and

Respiratory HealthRespiratory Health

© 2003, WEHA

INTRODUCTION

Open Burning: definition The Past The Present Chemicals Asthma Wildfire Alternatives Closing

OPEN BURNING:

Any open flame in the environment, where pollutants produced

from the fire are emitted directly into

the air.

Picture Copyright © 1998-2001 Carver County

http://www.co.carver.mn.us/EnviroServices/burnbarrel.htm

THE PAST

In the past, open burning was very common.

People in the country lived far away from each other, lacked easy transportation like cars and trucks, and roadside trash pick-up was not available.

Recycling pick-up was not available either.

.

In the past burning was not as bad as it is today.

There were less people burning, and less waste being burned. And, people burned different kinds of trash from today.

What kind of trash did people burn?

MORE PEOPLE + MORE TRASH + SYNTHETIC MATERIAL = MORE POLLUTION What is being burned

today?

THE PRESENT

.

CHEMICALS

What chemicals are formed when trash is burned?

Heavy Metals

Arsenic (As)

Lead (Pb)

Dioxins

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Particulate Matter (PM)

Acid Gases (HCl)

Dioxins are complex hydrocarbons. Animals consume dioxin-contaminated water and plants.

Dioxin

People are exposed to dioxin through the air and by eating food that has accumulated dioxin.

Particulate Matter

PM-Small particles that penetrate deep into the lungs and make it hard youyou for you to breath.

ASTHMA

What is asthma?

A chronic illness that causes breathing problems such as

wheezing, breathlessness, and

tightness in the chest.

What triggers asthma?

Asthma attacks are triggered by breathing in air pollution, dust, pollen, smoke from fires, and exhaust from

trucks and buses.

What is an asthma attack?

An asthma attack occurs when something irritates the lungs.

The body puts up a fight to get the irritant out of the lungs.

WILDFIRE

1/3 of Wisconsin’s wildfires are started from open burning that gets out of control.

ALTERNATIVES

So what can we do instead of burning?

Recycle

Glass

Plastic

Paper

Metal

Compost

Leaves

Lawn clippings

Food scraps

www.ci.boise.id.us/public_works/ education/lessons.shtml

Vermicomposting

© 1996 New Times, Inc. All rights reserved.

Composting with real WORMS !

ReduceBuying in bulk saves money and

produces less trash.

Reuse

Give books and old clothes to charity

Reuse your lunch bag more than once.

Landfill

Not everything can be

recycled, reused or

composted.

Send those items to the

landfill.

OPEN BURNING

Thank you!