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Department of Ecology News Release - July 22, 2010
10-175
OLYMPIA – Lewis County residents can swap their empty burn barrels for free compost bins as part of an effort to limit wildfires and air pollution.
The use of burn barrels is illegal in Washington. The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and Lewis County Solid Waste are working together on a project that will collect and destroy barrels in Lewis County. They want to reduce the risk of wildfires in the county, along with the harmful smoke that wildfires produce.
Outdoor residential burning, which is illegal in most parts of Washington, is a leading cause of wildfire ignitions across the state. Wildfires destroy property, harm the environment and endanger people.
They also produce smoke that can harm people. Breathing fine particles in smoke can cause health problems like asthma, emphysema and lung cancer.
Lewis County residents can exchange their empty burn barrels during three events while supplies of compost bins last.
The agencies are using a grant from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for the work.
Ecology and DNR are working to schedule events in other counties. Those events also will be funded with federal grant money. Event details will be posted on Ecology’s Air Quality Program website ( http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/outdoor_woodsmoke/alternativestoburn.htm).
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Media Contacts:
Seth Preston, Ecology communications manager, 360-407-6848;
360-584-5744 cell; seth.preston@ecy.wa.gov
Janet Pearce, DNR Communications and Outreach, 360-902-1122;
janet.pearce@dnr.wa.gov
What you can do instead of burning: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/outdoor_woodsmoke/alternativestoburn.htm
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
