Enforcement Cases

							Open Burning Outreach Team
         (O.B.O.T.)




   North Carolina Division of Air Quality
               Ruchi Singhal
              March 29, 2005
Why Limit Open
  Burning?
          Smoke from open burning
           pollutes the air and is
           unhealthy to breathe

          Potential health effects
           include
            – Lung and Eye irritation
            – Headaches
            – Dizziness
            – Asthma attacks
            – Coughing and wheezing
            and
            – Even death in some cases
“I didn’t start this, it was a
          cigarette”
“Construction waste doesn’t
have any synthetic material”
   “I didn’t know burning a
thousand tires was bad for the
   air. Tires burn so good”
            Never Burn These
               Materials:
   Trash, garbage            Structures – standing or demolished

   Lumber                    Asphalt shingles


   Treated wood              Plastics, synthetics

   Tires                     Heavy oils

   Newspapers and other      Paints
    paper products

                              Household, agricultural
   Wire and coated wire
                               chemicals
  Open Burning NOV’s
        Stats
               9/1/02 –   3/2/03 –   9/1/03 –   3/2/03 –
   Region      3/1/03     8/31/03    3/1/04     9/1/04

ARO                24        33          27        38
FRO                52        53          66        74
MRO                31        49          31        41
RRO                30        29          15        37
WARO               33        44          28        57
WIRO                9        12           5        18
WSRO               22        39          23        69
 Total NOV’s      201        259        195       334
      The DAQ initiative
   Steven Vozzo open burning project (2000)
   Director and supervisors push to start
    initiative that focuses on open burning (2003)
   Ban burning on code orange or higher Ozone
    Action Days
   DAQ creates Open Burning Outreach Team
    (OBOT) (2004)
    – 2 large region representatives, 1 small region
      representative, PIO, Tech Services person, Air
      Awareness person, Deputy Director, & coordinator
        OBOT Subteams

   Outreach to:
    – Media/General Public
    – Businesses/Association/EAC/Contractors
    – Schools
    – Fire
      Departments/Forestry/Agriculture/DOT
     Breathe… Don’t Burn
   Key Slogan: “Breathe…Don’t Burn”
    – Focus on health hazard
    – Positive message to people
   Will be on:
    – Old brochure (used to be “Don’t Get
      Burned”
    – New publications (inserts, guide sheets,
      magnets, pencils)
             Billboards
– 4 designs with key
  messages
– 25 billboards across   Don’t Choke on Smoke
                                                Burn Trash = Breathe
  the state                                             Trash
                         Stop Outdoor Burning
– Advertising space                             Stop Outdoor Burning
  free
– We pay for sign
  production and
  installation
– Currently in budget
  approval process
       Publications
                                        Breathe… Don’t Burn




                                                      ------
                                                      ------
                                                      ------
   Handout/Insert                                    ------
    – Simple Message with Key Points                  ------
    – English and Spanish (reverse                    ------
      side)
                                                       español
    – Size small enough to fit in
      envelope
                                                                 ------
    – Separate handouts geared toward
      backyard burners and land-                                 ------
      clearers                                                   ------

    – Graphics to re-enforce message                             ------
                                                                 ------
    – DFR will include insert with
      burn permits (170,000 burn                                 ------
      permits given last year)
      Publications – cont’d
                                                               Guide Sheet-alternatives to
                                                               burning

                                                                    X-------------------------------
   Guide Sheet                                                     X ------------------------------
    – Pictures of items not allowed to burn                         X ------------------------------
    – Alternatives for disposal                                     X ------------------------------

    – To be handed out while investigating                          X ------------------------------
      open burning compliance situations
    – Contact information provided
   Other Materials

                                         Breathe… Don’t Burn
    – Poster – for schools and public
      offices
    – Coloring Sheets – for kids                                        There’s a better way to
                                                                       dispose of trash and yard
                                                                                waste
    – Pencils and Magnets
    Outreach – Schools
   Target: 7th grade
    – New curriculum phasing in beginning 2005 teaches AQ in 7th
      grade
   Tools (distribute separately or in kit):
    – Teacher Guide
       Background info, relate to video
    – Video
       Fast paced to convey message to students
    – Pencils (recycled, bright colors)
    – Classroom poster
    – Magnets
     Outreach – Mailouts
   Directories provided by the following:
    –   NC Home Builders Association
    –   NC Association of County Commissioners
    –   NC Association of County Commissioners
    –   NC League of Municipalities
    –   NC Landscape Contractors Registration Board
    –   Employment Security Commission
Outreach – Newsletters
   NC Home Builders Association
   NC Association of County Commissioners
   NC League of Municipalities
   NC Landscape Contractors Registration
    Board
   NC Cooperative Extension Agency
   NCDA&CS (Soil Fertility Note)
   NC DFR (certified burner – annual)
    Open Burning Training
   Fire Departments – 3 Year Cycle
   NC Div. of Forest Resources – 5 Year Cycle
   NC Dept. of Transportation – 5 Year Cycle
   Local Governments/Municipalities –
    Mailout/newsletter
   Agricultural Agencies – Extension Agents
    and NC Dept of Agr.
       Training Media
 Open burning brochures
 Power Point presentations w/handouts

 Professional video within 3 years
            OBOT
       Accomplishments
   Media/General Public
    – Billboards designed and ready to
      go up in next few weeks across
      NC
    – New brochures, pamphlets
      printed
    – Website modified
      http://daq.state.nc.us/enf/openburn


   Businesses/Association/EAC/
    Contractors
    – Mailouts to Construction related
      businesses (3,300 mailouts)
             OBOT
        Accomplishments
   Schools
    – Starting a presentation that
      teachers can give to students
    – Creating a “kit” idea with a
      workbook of activities
    – Designed magnets
    – Promote video done by Western
      NC (excellent)
   Fire Departments/ Forestry/
    Agriculture/DOT
    – Regions have given a plan for
      reaching all County Fire Dept in
      2005
    – Training presentation created
      and given to regional offices to
      start presenting.
             OBOT
        Accomplishments
   Outdoor fires pollute the air

   Smoke is unhealthy to breathe

   Recycle or properly dispose of waste