SWCAA NEWS ARCHIVE
Lewis County Burn Barrel Exchange
Monday, July 15, 2013 - Lewis County residents can swap their EMPTY burn barrels for free compost bins as part of an effort to limit wildfires and air pollution.
The use of burn barrels is illegal in Washington. The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and Lewis County Solid Waste are working together on a project that will collect and destroy barrels in Lewis County. They want to reduce the risk of wildfires in the county, along with the harmful smoke that wildfires produce.
Outdoor residential burning, which is illegal in most parts of Washington, is a leading cause of wildfire ignitions across the state. Wildfires destroy property, harm the environment and endanger people. They also produce smoke that can harm people. Breathing fine particles in smoke can cause health problems like asthma, emphysema and lung cancer.
Lewis County residents can exchange their empty burn barrels during three events while supplies of compost bins last.
• Packwood: July 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Packwood Elementary School, 12990 U.S. Highway 12 (back field).
• Morton: Aug. 2 through 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the East Lewis County Transfer Station, 6745 U.S. Highway 12.
• Centralia: Aug. 2 through 7 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Lewis County Central Transfer Station, 1411 S. Tower Ave.
The agencies are using a grant from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the Washington State Departments of Ecology and Natural Resources for the work.