Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 289 - Solid waste facilities.
289.51 - Solid waste open burning standards.

289.51 Solid waste open burning standards.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) “Air curtain destructor" means a solid waste disposal operation that combines a fixed wall open pit and a mechanical air supply which uses an excess of oxygen and turbulence to accomplish the smokeless combustion of clean wood wastes.
(am) “Household waste" means any solid waste derived from a household, hotel, motel, bunkhouse, ranger station, crew quarters, campground, picnic ground or day-use recreation area.
(b) “Open burning" means the combustion, except in a properly operated air curtain destructor, of solid waste if that combustion lacks any of the following:
1. Control of combustion air to maintain adequate temperature for efficient combustion.
2. Containment of the combustion reaction in an enclosed device to provide sufficient residence time and mixing for complete combustion.
3. Control of the emission of the combustion products.
(c) “Population equivalent" means the population equal to the sum of the population of the geographical area based on the most recent census data, or department of administration census data used for tax sharing purposes, plus the seasonal population not included in the census data, plus one person per 1,000 pounds per year of industrial, commercial and agricultural waste.
(2) The department shall grant licenses for the open burning of solid waste at the licensee's solid waste disposal facilities if:
(a) The open burning operation serves a population equivalent of less than 10,000 or, if the operation is controlled by more than one municipality, a population equivalent of less than 2,500 for each additional controlling municipality. The department shall give consideration to seasonal variations in population in granting partial yearly burning exemptions.
(b) All portions of the licensed operation are greater than one-fourth mile from any residence or place of public gathering, or written consent is obtained from all residents and proprietors within one-fourth mile thereof.
(c) The open burning does not include the burning of wet combustible rubbish, garbage, oily substances, asphalt, plastic or rubber products and, if the open burning operation serves a population equivalent of more than 2,500, the open burning includes only wood and paper which is separated from other solid waste.
(d) The open burning operation is supervised by an attendant.
(e) The open burning operation is accomplished in a nuisance-free manner and does not create hazards for adjacent properties.
(f) Adequate firebreaks are provided and provision is made to obtain the services of the local fire protection agency if needed.
(g) The open burning operation is not in violation of any federal air pollution control or municipal solid waste regulations, or any state air pollution control rules required to be adopted under applicable federal statutes or regulations.
(3) The department may not require that ash resulting from the burning of a structure for practice or instruction of fire fighters or the testing of fire fighting equipment be disposed of in a landfill licensed under s. 289.31.
History: 1995 a. 227 s. 535; Stats. 1995 s. 289.51; 2009 a. 28.

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