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Illegal Burning and Your Town
Burn barrels and piles in the backyard, burning trash
in wood stoves — illegal burning of garbage is still
very much a part of the Vermont landscape. In a 2003
CVSWMD survey, 18 of 20 Town Fire Wardens in CVSWMD member
towns reported that illegal burning of garbage occurs
in their town.
Ad #1 of a six-part ad series the CVSWMD has run in area
newspapers to highlight the dangers of illegal burning.
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The people who burn garbage and the families who live
next door and downwind receive the most direct contact
to the toxins emitted into the air they breathe. And the
impact doesn't stop there. Burning garbage pollutes the
air and water and affects the people and wildlife throughout
the region (see the Illegal
Burning section under Resident Services for more information).
Illegal burning is a serious human and environmental health
threat. The State of Vermont takes this very seriously
and is requiring solid waste districts and towns to take
action to enforce against it.
The CVSWMD Board of Supervisors believes that local enforcement is the most effective way to combat illegal burning. Thanks to a grant from the VT Agency of Natural Resources, CVSWMD staff and board members contacted all CVSWMD member towns about illegal burning ordinance options and to encourage the adoption of local ordinances, and member towns were asked to complete surveys detailing their town’s decision.
During this process, several towns requested that the CVSWMD provide the template for a letter that they could send to residents who have been illegally burning trash. For towns with an approved illegal burning ordinance, or a designated enforcement officer to enforce the VT State Statute (24 VSA 2201), the following letter template can be used to notify residents of their infractions against the town ordinance and/or the state law, and the fines associated with further infractions. We hope this template letter can be used to help make enforcing against illegal burning easier for your town.
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