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Yard WasteCurbside Yard Debris Collection Programs Are you tossing yard debris in your trash can? If you are, you're paying too much. Cost-effective curbside yard debris collection is now available in all burn ban areas. When you sign up for the service, you can conveniently recycle grass, leaves, yard and garden trimmings, and branches. Yard debris collection costs less than garbage collection. You can recycle 90 gallons of yard debris at curbside for less than it costs to dispose of 32 gallons of garbage. Poulsbo and Bainbridge Island customers call Bainbridge Disposal (206-842-4882); all other areas call Waste Management (800-592-9995) to sign up. Yard Debris Drop-Off Recycling Programs Your least expensive drop-off option is to recycle at the facilities listed below. You can also drop of yard debris for recycling. Materials accepted include grass, leaves, other garden trimmings and branches. Chippers Chippers are a great way to reduce larger branches and other woody debris into a great mulch for trees and woody plants. If you want to chip branches, you have several choices: you can hire a chipping service, rent a chipper, buy your own chipper, or buy a chipper for communal use through your neighborhood association. Check the list of chipping services in your area. Home Composting Home composting is a free and easy way to recycle grass, leaves and other small woody debris into a high-quality soil amendment. Classes are offered by Master Composters each Spring and Fall. To sign up for a free, two hour class, call 360-337-5777. Need More Information? Burn Ban Area Map Kitsap County GIS map shows prohibited and restricted burning areas. White space (unmarked) has no restrictions.
360-337-5245 Kitsap County Health District Frequently Asked Questions Why is state government regulating outdoor burning on my property? When our state legislators enacted the Washington Clean Air Act in 1991, they made a fundamental choice: your neighbor's right to breathe clean air is more important than allowing you to have free disposal of vegetation by burning it. A recent survey in Kitsap County confirmed that 26% of our households have at least one member with respiratory problems. These people are at higher risk for suffering adverse health effects when their neighbors burn outdoors. Microscopic particles from burning are present even when the air may not appear smoky. These particles lodge deep in the lungs and damage delicate air sacs. This damage can aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular illness, decrease lung function and lead to premature death. Other than public health concerns, why prohibit outdoor burning? People have the right to enjoy the use of their property without the nuisance of smoke or ash fall out from a neighbor's fire. Outdoor fires can escape and cause loss of home and property. The burn ban reduces the need for fire agencies to respond to outdoor burning nuisance complaints and escaped fires. This permits the fire district or department to reserve valuable tax dollars, equipment and personnel for life threatening emergencies. What about campfires or cooking fires in burn ban areas? Recreational fires are permitted in campgrounds and on private property for cooking, pleasure and ceremonial purposes. Fires for debris disposal are not considered to be recreational fires. Only seasoned firewood or charcoal should be used. If the purpose of your fire is to dispose of vegetation, it is not permitted. Having frequent campfires that serve to get rid of excess yard debris is a violation of state law. Under state law, a permit must be obtained from your local fire district or department for a recreational fire with a fuel area over three feet in diameter by two feet high. Keep in mind that if a temporary burn ban is implemented by the Clean Air Agency for areas outside the permanent burn ban areas, recreational fires are prohibited at that time in all areas of Kitsap County. Is it true that using a chipper causes more air pollution than burning? No. The average household generates 1,900 pounds of yard waste each year. If a homeowner burned that waste, it would create 208 pounds of air pollutants. Chipping it with a 4-stroke, 5-horsepower chipper would generate only 19 pounds of air pollutants. Burning would thus produce 11 times as much pollution as chipping. Of particular concern, when it comes to outdoor burning, are the emissions of fine particle pollution, called PM2.5. These tiny particles (and the toxins from wood smoke) are inhaled deeply in the lungs, where they lodge and cause a variety of respiratory problems, including cancer. Children, people with emphysema and asthma, and people over 50 are particularly vulnerable to PM2.5 pollution. Burning 1,900 pounds of yard waste would generate 35 pounds of PM2.5 particles. Chipping would generate 0.05 pounds of PM2.5. That means burning produces nearly 700 times as much of this dangerous pollutant as chipping. Can I burn garbage? No. Burning garbage has been illegal in Washington since 1973. Burn barrels are illegal. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, household garbage burned in barrels is a significant source of dioxin and furan emissions. These compounds are linked to cancer, immune system disorders and developmental abnormalities. It is also hard to tell when a fire in a burn barrel has been completely extinguished. There are numerous examples of fires escaping from burn barrels to the surrounding area that require fire district response to control the fire. You can report garbage burning complaints to Kitsap County Health District by calling 360-337-5245. The Kitsap County Health District fines for burning garbage start at $513. How do I report outdoor burning violations? To report burn ban violations or nuisance fires, call 911. They will log the complaint and refer it to the appropriate fire agency for response. The fire district or department will visit the site and determine if a violation has occurred. If a violation of state law has occurred, they will take the appropriate corrective actions. This may include putting the fire out and referring the violation to the Clean Air Agency for issuance of a fine of up to $13,000. If I am outside of the Burn Ban area, are there any restrictions on burning that I must follow? State law prohibits the burning of anything except natural vegetation. It is not legal to burn garbage, dead animals, asphalt, petroleum products, paints, rubber products, plastics, paper, cardboard, treated wood, construction and demolition debris, metal, or any other substance that normally releases toxic emissions, dense smoke or obnoxious odors when burned. State law prohibits nuisance fires. A fire is considered a nuisance if its smoke or ash interfere with the use and enjoyment of another person's property. Before burning, call your local fire district. You must be certain that a temporary burn ban is not in place in your area. You may need to obtain a burning permit. What financial benefits have accrued from the program? People with asthma and other lung and heart diseases gain the primary financial benefit of these programs in terms of reduced health care costs. The monetary value of their reduced suffering can not easily be calculated. All citizens of Kitsap County have access to cost-effective alternatives to outdoor burning. Kitsap County has a contract with Waste Management to assure that curbside yard debris collection and drop-off service are available to residents in the burn ban areas at a reasonable cost. The County gains no income from this contract. For those who choose not to use these services, the Kitsap County Solid Waste Division provides free instruction in back yard composting. Kitsap County Public Works |
Updated:
June 06, 2008
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