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The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

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By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.

Photo: Jon Sullivan, PDPhoto
Photo: Jon Sullivan, PDPhoto

UPDATED: Household trash burning ban begins April 1

By Todd A. Heywood | 03.21.11 | 12:54 pm

For the first time in more than 30 years, Michigan will ban the burning of household refuse.

The ban begins April 1 reports the Detroit News. Most states prohibit burning trash, but Michigan has had an exemption for household waste such as paper, wood and foam.

“That exemption has been in there for 30-some years now,” said Jim Ostrowski, an analyst with the state agency [Department of Natural Resources and Environment]. “We no longer wanted to promote or condone burning as an acceptable waste disposal option when we know it is not.”

State officials called the exemption a “relic” and noted that burning household waste could have serious environmental threats.

From an environmental standpoint, burned household waste can give off a host of dangerous fumes like hydrogen cyanide, carbon dioxide, dioxin, benzene, lead and mercury.

Backyard burning is also known to trigger fires in rural areas when hot coals get into dried out areas.

But for some, the ban is going to be a problem. Many rural residents do not have access to affordable trash removal and have long relied on backyard burning to eliminate refuse.

Update: The Detroit News now reports that the DEQ has decided not to issue this new regulation after a last minute blitz of disapproval to the agency.

Comments

  • Anonymous

    So we can expect the state to take action on Detroit’s incinerator?

  • Anonymous

    Another useless law, I have been burning papers (junk mail) for 40 years in a barrel and have never started a field on fire or caused any harm to anyone.I was going to pick up trash (papers) along the road but it can stay there now.

  • Anonymous

    If there going to pass a law that stops burning than have them pay for trash service for those who can’t. If they don’t want to pay for the service then do your jobs and fix welfare and the real problems in this state instead of making life hard on those who pay your check. Do your jobs right and get of the back of the working people. You take away enough of our rights and then wonder why the people think you are worthless.

  • Neill D varner

    Large incinerators are no lon ger operational in many instances…a move in the direction of a cleaner environment…Household waste incineration by homeowners seems less of a concern environmentally than does the alternative disposal to land fills and other collection points for such waste…In all of this regulation frenzy a balanced , precautionary approach is desirable: one that looks through the filters of both private and public interest……..

  • Anonymous

    My only concern is that they don’t acknowledge that burning leaves and such is just as harmful breathing in as regulay trash if you have asthma or any lung disease, A neighbor can burn leaves across the street and the wind takes it into my house if the wind blow the same way and there is nothing I can do about it all they need is a burn permit for $10.00. And why does anyone really take this that it is another “right” taken away? One person burns while fifty people breath it in and suffer for your “right”? don’t think so, thank you Michigan for getting on board.

  • Anonymous

    My only concern is that they don’t acknowledge that burning leaves and such is just as harmful breathing in as regulay trash if you have asthma or any lung disease, A neighbor can burn leaves across the street and the wind takes it into my house if the wind blow the same way and there is nothing I can do about it all they need is a burn permit for $10.00. And why does anyone really take this that it is another “right” taken away? One person burns while fifty people breath it in and suffer for your “right”? don’t think so, thank you Michigan for getting on board.

  • Anonymous

    So as I read this I come to the conclusion that it WAS going to be a law that you CAN’T burn in your backyard, but with the UPDATE the ban IS NOT going to ac-cure so we CAN burn carefully. Is this right?

Categories & Tags: Environment/Energy| | | | | | |