Burning vs. Dumpster Rental in Massachusetts

Construction and demolition debris is made up of brick, stone, mortar, asphalt, lumber, wallboard, glass, roofing, metal, piping, fixtures and electrical wiring. This debris needs to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way and it the hazards of burning need to be fully understood.

It is illegal to burn debris from homes and other buildings as they may contain a number of hazardous materials including plastics and other petroleum-based products and chemically treated woods and fibers. When burned, these materials emit toxic fumes that can pose great health hazards.

The burning of waste can lead to toxic emissions like dioxins, volatile organic compounds and hydrogen chloride. People near the burn site could potentially experience eye and skin irritation, breathing problems, and even central nervous system issues like dizziness and headaches. Burning construction debris is a serious health risk. Burning construction and demolition materials sends pollutants into the air that effect our health and environment. These pollutants will contaminate our lakes, streams, soil and feed crops where they enter our food chain by embedding in animal fat and dairy products.

If you are burning any material outdoors without air pollution controls, you are affecting the health and well being of a large population. Smoke from wood and trash contains tiny particles that insert deep inside the lung tissue. These tiny particles can cause severe health issues later on in a person’s life. Children are the most at risk.

The building materials that create toxic smoke:

Plastics
PVC siding, flooring, piping
Foam insulation
Plastic Wraps
Green, CCA pressure treated wood
Glues in particleboard
Petroleum products
Asphalt shingles
Asbestos containing materials (like old pipe insulation or really old shingles)
Solvents

Remember, Dumpster Rental and hauling is the safest alternative when disposing of construction debris.

Roll-off open-top dumpsters are typically rented to load with construction and demolition debris or for junk removal or yard waste jobs that are too much for the weekly garbage pick-up. Roll-off dumpsters are rectangular containers and their size is determined by the volume of cubic yards they they can hold. Most common roll-off dumpster sizes are 30 yard, 20 yard, 15 yard and 10 yard containers. They are rented by volume and weight. For example, Dumpsters R Us rents 30 yard dumpsters with the dimensions: 6’H, x 8’W, x22’L which include a 5 ton limit and two weeks of usage. Be aware of a dumpster rental companies that do not notify you of weight limits and charges.