Burning fallen leaves used to be common practice throughout North America, but because of the air pollution it creates, most municipalities either prohibit or discourage the explosive practice. The good news is that many cities and towns now provide curbside pickup of leaves and other waste from the yard, which is then turned into compost for park maintenance or commercial sale. And there are also other solutions that are burn-free.
Burning leaves may start health problems
They tend to burn slowly due to the moisture that is usually trapped in the leaves and thus generate large amounts of airborne particles, fine bits of dust, soot and other solid materials. These particles can reach deep into lung tissue, according to Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources, and cause coughing, wheezing, chest pain, shortness of breath, and sometimes long-term respiratory problems.
Hazardous chemicals such as carbon monoxide, which can bind with hemoglobin in the bloodstream and lower the amount of oxygen in the blood and lungs, can also be found in leaf smoke. Benzo(a)pyrene, which has been shown to cause cancer in animals and is suspected to be a significant factor in lung cancer caused by cigarette smoke, is another noxious chemical typically found in leaf smoke. And while breathing in leaf smoke can irritate healthy adults' eyes, nose, and throat, small children, the elderly, and people with asthma or other lung or heart disorders can actually be harmed.
Usually, intermittent individual leaf fires do not cause any significant emissions, but multiple fires can cause air pollutant concentrations in one geographic region that exceed federal air quality standards. U.S. according to The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can cause air pollution rivaling that of factories, motor vehicles, and lawn equipment by multiple leaf and yard waste fires simultaneously burning in a specific locale.
Composting leaves is more eco-friendly
Market horticulture specialist Rosie Lerner from Purdue University says that composting leaves is the most environmentally friendly alternative to burning. Dry leaves alone will take a long time to break down, she says, but the process will be improved by adding in green plant materials, such as grass trimmings. Nitrogen sources will also aid, such as animal manure or commercial fertilizer.
She says, "Mix the pile occasionally to keep a good supply of air in the compost," adding that a compost pile should be at least three cubic feet and, depending on conditions, can produce soil conditioner within weeks or a few months.
Mulch leaves than burning
Another choice is to shred leaves or to help protect garden and landscape plants for use as mulch for your lawn. Lerner recommends applying no more than a two to three-inch layer of leaves around plants that are actively growing, first cutting or shredding the leaves so that they do not mat down and prevent air from reaching the roots.
As for using leaves as mulch for your grass, with the lawnmower, it is just a simple matter of sewing right over the leaves and leaving them there. This will have many advantages, including weed control, moisture conservation and soil temperature moderation, as with leaves used for garden mulch.