Clean Air Should Be A RIGHT For All!Because We "Cair" |
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site updated 12-9-2011 
Check out EcoMom for more composting tips:  Visit our Facebook page "Danvers Clean Air For All"   Americans With Disabilities Act: Includes those with Chronic Asthma and Heart disease: Schools and Town parks are required to meet the ADA. So all those that suffer from asthma and heart disease should be allowed to use the outdoors at these places and not worry about leaf smoke and premature death because of it. Who is an “individual with a disability”?As defined by federal law: “An individual with a disability means any person who: (i) has a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity; (ii) has a record of such an impairment; or (iii) is regarded as having such an impairment” [34 C.F.R. §104.3(j)(1)]. What are "major life activities"? Major life activities include, but are not limited to: self-care, manual tasks, walking, seeing, speaking, sitting, thinking, learning, breathing, concentrating, interacting with others and working. As of January 1, 2009 with the reauthorization of the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act, this list has been expanded to also include the life activities of reading, concentrating, standing, lifting, bending, etc. This may include individuals with AD/HD, dyslexia, cancer, diabetes, severe allergies, chronic asthma, cardiovascular disorders...
Examples of other towns: The City of Ames Iowa: http://www.cityofames.org/attorneyweb/LawSchool.htm Q: Can I burn my leaves? A: No. The city ordinance on the subject of “open burning” states: “open burning of leaves is prohibited at all times.” That has not always been the rule. The City enacted the leaf-burning prohibition in 1998. The policy recognizes the adverse health effects that burning autumn leaves has for many people. Some respiratory ailments make it impossible to tolerate smoke in the air without suffering a reaction that, for some, requires medical treatment. In 1996, in a lawsuit brought against the town of Mallard, Iowa, in the U.S. District Court, it was ruled that a city ordinance permitting the open burning of leaves could be found to constitute a violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. The court stated that a city permitting open burning of leaves prevented such disabled persons from enjoying access to city parks, traveling on city streets, or attending public functions held outside. Consequently, the court concluded that if a city did not prohibit leaf burning it would be liable under Title II of the ADA as a matter of law. The City of Ames ordinance does allow open fires for recreational purposes, but requires that the fire be more than 15 feet from any structure. In recognition of the affect that smoke from open burning can have, the fire department is authorized by the ordinance to cause recreational fires to be extinguished upon receiving a complaint. Q. What can I do with all these leaves? A. Ames residents have several options when it comes to disposing of raked leaves. The leaves can be collected with regular garbage collection services, provided they are kept separate from other household garbage. Leaves can also be used for mulch, otherwise known as land application, or they can be composted for use as fertilizer. Mulching or composting can take place at the residence or at another location so long as the provisions in the Ames Municipal Code are followed. Here are some of the applicable provisions from the Ames Municipal Code:
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Print out a brochure for Composting Your Leaves:
Print out a brochure to learn more about starting a backyard compost:
Together we can create a change for the better of all! Open Burning is burning in "open air." Using fire wood to heat a structure such as a house or garage, does NOT fall under the heading of open burning and if open burning were to be banned, would continue to be permissible. If open burning were to be banned in our town, the ordinance COULD be written to allow small clean wood campfires on occasion or could be written to allow them by permit. These small campfires are not the biggest cause of our poor air quality. *40 percent (nearly half) of Illinois residents have some form of health problem- allergies, bronchitis, emphysema, other lung problems (like asthma) or heart problems- that can be worsened by the toxins released from a smoky leaf fire, even blocks away. Sudden death can occur for these sensitive populations after breathing leaf smoke. (Am. Heart Assoc. of IL)
*Burning a ton of leaves will produce about 117 pounds of carbon monoxide, 41 pounds of particulates (most of them small enough to be easily absorbed in the lungs) and at least 7 highly carcinogenic (cancer-causing) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Am. Heart Assoc. of IL) If our town were to ban open leaf burning, the health of our town would improve due to better air quality year round. That would mean less health care costs for residents. Our residents could save money and do something meaningful for our town and generations to come all at once! At the most recent Danvers Village Council Meeting, the town lawyer,
Pat, said that the "exemption" section of the ordinance unfortunately
applies to the statement "No open burning, even of landscape waste" and
burning dry leaves, sticks and branches is allowed, even if you live by
someone with asthma and/or heart disease. How sad. Lets change that!
Change starts with YOU!! Get involved, show you care! Breathtaking Facts
Learn More About Asthma: **To encourage a limit on/an end to open leaf burning: Contact the Danvers Village Council and/or President Ron Roth at 105 South Broadway or by phone: 309-963-4928 Monday-Friday
8am-noon. Village Council Meetings are open to the public and held the first Monday of the month at 7pm in the Village Council Room at 105 S. Broadway.
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