The Toledo Division of Environmental Services (TDOES) is the agent of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for enforcing Ohio open burning regulations throughout Lucas County and the City of Rossford in Wood County. (The Ohio EPA Northwest District Office in Bowling Green, Ohio (419) 352-8461 is responsible for the remainder of Northwest Ohio.) TDOES enforces local open burning restrictions, which are slightly more restrictive than the Ohio regulations.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE AND WHAT ARE THE PENAL TIES? Any PERSON or PROPERTY OWNER is prohibited from causing or allowing illegal open burning. State law provides for penalties of up to six months imprisonment and up to $25.000 in fines.

What Is Open Burning? Open burning is the act of burning any material that causes air pollutants from the fire to be sent directly into the air. Open burning includes the outdoor burning of any refuse, trash, garbage, or salvageable material in any container, which does not have' required pollution control equipment. Leaf, trash, construction waste, and crop residue burning are all classified as open burning.

Negative Effects Open burning is inefficient because the fire does not get hot enough to burn the materials completely. A typical open burning fire releases about one-fourth of the material's weight into the air as pollutants. Some of these products of incomplete combustion are known to be cancer causing. Leaves and plant materials release millions of mold spores when burned. Many people, especially young children, are allergic to these spores and have difficulty breathing when exposed to these airborne wastes. Smoke from open burning can also cause property damage. Fire department officials acknowledge that open burning and the use of backyard trash burners is a hazardous practice and an important cause of brush and field fires during the spring and fall.

Types of Wastes Ohio open burning regulations cover several types of waste: Agricultural- Material generated by crop or livestock production practices; includes such items as bags, cartons, and landscape wastes generated in agricultural activities; DOES NOT INCLUDE garbage, buildings, dead animals, non-agricultural land clearing waste as defined below, motor vehicles and parts, and economic poisons and containers therefore unless the manufacturer has identified open burning as a safe disposal procedure. Garbage - Any material resulting from the handling, processing, preparation, cooking and consumption of food or food products. Land Cleaning - Any plant material which is removed from land  including plant material removed from stream banks during projects involving more than one property owner for the purpose of rendering the land useful for residential, commercial, or industrial development. Landscape -Any plant material except garbage, including trees, brush, weeds, and grass Residential - Any material, including landscape waste produced on a 1-,2-, or 3-family property as a result of residential activities; garbage is not included.