KENNEWICK, Wash.- According to the Benton Clean Air Agency it is illegal to burn garbage.
One Tri-Cities woman voiced her concerns about her neighbors burning what seems to be plastic or trash.
“Please stop. Call the Clean Air Agency. Get an extra trash can and throw the trash away. Stop putting everything in your fire,” Jeannie Bryant said.
Bryant posted on Nextdoor, a social network for neighborhoods, about neighbors burning trash. She said someone in her neighborhood was burning something that smelled like chemicals.
“It’s bad. It’s to the point that you walk out and you just have to turn around and get back into your house because it gives me instant migraines. That’s how bad it’s been,” Bryant said.
According to the Agency, it’s illegal to burn trash in any area. If you live in an urban growth area, you can only burn wood.
Those who live outside of town but are still in the county can burn dry, natural vegetation like tumbleweeds. A burn pile can’t be bigger than four feet wide and three feet tall.
The fire must be at least 50 feet away from flammable structures. If someone breaks any of these rules, the agency encourages people to call and report it.
Clean air specialist John Lyle said it’s easy to file a complaint, just call the Benton Clean Air Agency.
“Even if we are closed. Evenings or weekends, whatever that may be. Please leave a message, detailed message with as much information as you can leave and we do follow up on every single complaint. So whatever that may entail, whether it may be warning letters or violations,” Lyle said.
Lyle said the agency has a lot of criteria behind determining burn days. To know if it is a burn day visit their website and put in your address to know for sure.
