As spring cleaning season arrives, North Carolina environmental officials are issuing a simple reminder for outdoor disposal: If it doesn’t grow, don’t burn it.
The Department of Environmental Quality warns that burning man-made materials like trash, plastic, or metal is illegal and poses a serious public health risk. Under the state’s oldest air quality regulation, only vegetative debris like limbs and leaves can be burned, and only under specific conditions.
State rules restrict burning to the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and strictly prohibit fires on poor air quality days. Additionally, yard waste must originate on-site, and burning is only allowed if local public pickup is unavailable.
Careless debris burning remains the leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina. Violators of these regulations can face heavy fines of up to $25,000 per day.
Residents are encouraged to check the air quality forecast and obtain necessary permits from the North Carolina Forest Service before starting any fire.
