It was Monday. An ordinary beginning to our week. Or so we thought.....
We had a trash guy coming out to haul away our "burn pile." Things went from okay to terrible to unbearable. I tried and tried to write about it, but the words didn't come. I was finally able to coax Elanor to come with me so I could attempt to tell you about it. Then, internet issues (me not figuring things out) prolonged the process.
NOTE: I was driving up to the site to take the above video. I received a phone call and I parked. The car got a little warm. No one wanted to get out. Elanor knew I was thinking about rolling down the windows and almost started begging before I even touched the buttons. They promptly went back up. It was hard to be anywhere near the pile two days later.
CORRECTION: You may burn trash where we live.
It was my understanding that you should recycle plastic, glass, and metal and burn what is burnable. There are non recyclable plastics, plastic lined with metal, paper lined with plastic, styrofoam, and other stuff I just don't feel right about burning.
I was told by the trash service guy that you are not suppose to burn "trash." It is only the burnable waste that should be burned (wood and paper products). Our pile contained many of the non-burn items from the business and household sections of the law. Maybe he was referring to the contents of our specific pile. Thanks for your forgiveness of my mistake.
Here is the law - https://dnr.mo.gov/pubs/pub2047.htm
"Prohibited Open Burning Under State Regulation
Any waste generated by a business, trade, industry, salvage, or demolition operation cannot be burned unless it is untreated or vegetative wood waste. Wastes that may not be burned include but are not limited to tires, carpet, used oil, asphalt roofing material, rubber products, hazardous materials, Styrofoam™, plastics, petroleum-based products, durable goods, treated wood, and any asbestos-containing material.
Any waste generated by a business, trade, industry, salvage, or demolition operation cannot be burned unless it is untreated or vegetative wood waste. Wastes that may not be burned include but are not limited to tires, carpet, used oil, asphalt roofing material, rubber products, hazardous materials, Styrofoam™, plastics, petroleum-based products, durable goods, treated wood, and any asbestos-containing material.
Allowable Open Burning Under State Regulations
Note: Local governments may have stricter laws and policies.
Note: Local governments may have stricter laws and policies.
Open Burning of Household Refuse
Missouri allows open burning of household refuse from residential premises with four dwelling units or less, provided it is burned on the property owned by the party that generates it. This exemption does not apply to mobile home parks or apartment complexes. Household waste is solid waste produced by routine household activities, such as paper waste and garbage from daily activities. This does not include home remodeling waste, waste from home businesses, durable goods such as appliances, carpets or furniture, tires or other non-routine household waste. Materials such as tires or used oil may not be used to start the fires or be burned in the fires."
Missouri allows open burning of household refuse from residential premises with four dwelling units or less, provided it is burned on the property owned by the party that generates it. This exemption does not apply to mobile home parks or apartment complexes. Household waste is solid waste produced by routine household activities, such as paper waste and garbage from daily activities. This does not include home remodeling waste, waste from home businesses, durable goods such as appliances, carpets or furniture, tires or other non-routine household waste. Materials such as tires or used oil may not be used to start the fires or be burned in the fires."
1st stab at the root ball
Several tries later.....
Who knew tractors could jump?
The trash pile Monday morning.
The trash pile after filling the trash trailer.
The various trash piles while picking.
As I was in the pile, I remembered a book I read last year, The Rent Collector. An amazing book based on real people that lived in a landfill dump.
I have been in some pretty gross places and done some pretty gross things, but Monday tops them ALL. There are very, very few things that induce vomiting in my life.
I was reviewing the video footage. I asked the onions if they wanted to watch it. They unanimously said "NO!" We were finishing up lunch. Some of us were still eating. And this from a family that has very gross conversations at the dinner table from time to time.
Updated with actual waste burning laws.
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