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Department of Ecology News Release - September 17, 2002
02-176
YAKIMA - Fall signals the time of year when people begin to tidy up their lawns and gardens for the winter, and residents of Central and Eastern Washington are urged to consider alternatives to burning as they gather up their yard waste and natural debris.
Residential and land-clearing burning is not allowed in communities with a population of 10,000 or more. In Central and Eastern Washington, that means the urban growth areas and cities of College Place, East Wenatchee, Ellensburg, Ephrata, Moses Lake, Pasco, Pullman, Walla Walla and Wenatchee. Cities in Spokane, Benton and Yakima counties have their own air-authority burn programs and guidelines.
Chipping, shredding and composting are some alternatives people can consider when cleaning up their yards. Many communities, such as Cashmere, have fall collection programs, and information on composting is available from county solid-waste managers and "master gardener" programs.
"More and more people are discovering the advantage of composting year-round," said Sue Billings, an air quality manager for the state Department of Ecology (Ecology). "Neighbors can also get together and rent a chipper or shredder. The resulting chips are good for spreading as mulch around garden plants."
Central Washington residents should look for fliers in their local newspapers that outline the state's burning regulations as well as what materials are illegal to burn in an outdoor fire. When people do burn, they should use only natural vegetation in small fires where permitted. They also should follow their local fire department's safety rules.
More information on outdoor burning is available by calling Ecology at:
Contact: Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager, (509) 575-2610, or pager (509) 574-0490
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
