Burn pits are used for outdoor waste burning, but burning plastics and synthetic materials can release harmful chemicals. They may be necessary in some cases, but precautions should be taken to reduce risks to health and the environment. Safety equipment can protect those working near burn pits.
A burn pit is an area used to burn waste outdoors and allow the smoke and debris to become airborne. While burning materials such as wood and other plant materials may not pose a huge risk to the environment or personnel working near the fire pit, many materials such as plastics and other synthetic compounds release harmful chemicals into the air when burned . In many cases, fire pits are set up as temporary waste management measures when no long-term solutions are available. Even if used only for short periods of time, such open methods of burning waste can be very hazardous to personnel and harmful to the environment.
In some cases, it may be necessary to use a fire pit for waste disposal when other methods of disposal are not available. Military forces on temporary bases away from waste management services, for example, may need to burn their own waste. A burn pit may be especially necessary for trash that, if simply stored, would attract insects, rats, or other potential disease carriers. If other disposal options are not feasible, burning piles of waste may pose less risk to human life than simply storing, burying or disposing of the waste.
There are many steps that can be taken to reduce the health and environmental risks posed by the use of a fire pit. You may, for example, try to burn only materials that pose a risk to human health when intact, or those that pose little or no risk to the environment or health when burned. Plastic items like water bottles, on the other hand, can be compressed and stored for possible recycling. Intact plastics tend to pose few risks to human health, but can release chemicals that are harmful to the environment and human health when burned. Using fuels that burn at a higher temperature can also ensure that many of the more harmful chemicals are broken down more completely in the combustion pit and are not released into the air.
Individuals who must work in or near a burn pit can also take some safety measures to protect themselves from potential deleterious long-term health effects. Safety equipment such as personal air purifiers can greatly reduce the potential health risks associated with working near a fire pit. Even simple face masks that cover your mouth and nose may be able to keep some of the worst byproducts of combustion away from your respiratory system.
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