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Here are five tips for conducting open burning and avoiding trouble with the Ohio EPA:

1. Before burning, landowners need to consider whether they are located within a restricted or unrestricted area and whether their burning activity may require notification or permission from the Ohio EPA.

2. Agricultural wastes that can be burned include any wastes generated by crop, horticultural or livestock production, including woody debris or plant material, bags, cartons, and landscape wastes. In certain circumstances, farmers are required to provide notification to EPA prior to burning agricultural wastes.

3. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has a burn ban for unincorporated areas in the months of March, April, May, October and November. During these months, any burning must take place in a plowed garden or field and at least 200 feet from any woodland, brush or fields of dry grass.

4. Burning land clearing waste requires written permission from the EPA. Land clearing waste is plant waste generated when land is cleared for residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural development.

5. Local fire districts or jurisdictions may have their own open burning ordinances. Always check with your local fire department, and make them aware of your activity to prevent confusion and unnecessary alarm to your local first responders.

More Landowner Information

For further explanation of these tips and other information on other topics impacting landowners, Ohio Farm Bureau members can log in and download the Landowner Toolkit. Not a member? Join today!

Also, listen to Legal with Leah, a podcast featuring Ohio Farm Bureau’s Policy Counsel Leah Curtis discussing topics impacting landowners.

Photo credit: Adonyi Gabor, pexels.com