What should you know about open burning in Massachusetts?

If you're like most Bay Staters, you'll spend a lot of your time each spring preparing your lawn and garden for the warm months ahead. A big part of your job will be cleaning up tree limbs, brush and other remnants of winter storms, and figuring out what to do with all that debris.

Burning might be the first thing that comes to your mind. While it is still allowed in most Massachusetts towns and cities, open burning has its distinct disadvantages. The combustion process releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, other gases and solid substances directly into the air we breathe. And, disposal of materials is never as good for the environment as using them again in a different form. Natural debris can be chipped or composted into landscaping material.

Still, there are times when open burning is the best or only option. Even then, there are limits on what can be burned and when, as well as important public health and safety requirements.

Show All Answers

1. What should you know about open burning in Massachusetts?
2. Why are there limits on open burning in Massachusetts?
3. What can be burned and under what conditions?
4. What types of open burning are not allowed?
5. What are the open burning guidelines?