When the Air Smells Like Plastic
Unfortunately, in Marianna, open burning still happens. Some days it is just wood smoke drifting through the valley. Other days, the smell changes. Sharp. Chemical. Plastic. Rubber. Melted insulation. On sunny days, it comes through open windows and settles inside homes. These fires show little thought beyond the flames themselves. No one seems to consider where the smoke goes, who breathes it, or what lingers in the soil and plants.
There is a hard question to ask. Is this ignorance, or indifference? Burning plastic, tires, and wiring ignores the consequences that reach beyond one yard. Lack of awareness or simple disregard, whatever the cause, the outcome is the same. Harm spreads to neighbors, children, wildlife, and the land, while the person burning walks away as if the damage ends at the barrel.
Tires have been burned here, sending thick black smoke into the air. Wires are burned to strip copper, releasing toxic fumes into nearby homes. These fires may be out of sight, but their effects are not contained to one yard.
Burning plastics, rubber, treated wood, or wiring releases pollutants such as dioxins, furans, heavy metals, and fine particles. These toxins do not disappear. They drift, settle in soil and on plants, and are inhaled by anyone nearby.
The health effects are real. Fumes can trigger asthma, headaches, nausea, and long term risks for heart disease and cancer. Children, older adults, and anyone with respiratory issues are especially vulnerable. Repeated exposure matters, even when each incident seems brief.
The damage does not stop with people. Toxins fall into the soil, altering its chemistry and harming microorganisms that keep it alive. Gardens nearby may unknowingly take up these contaminants, carrying them into the food grown there.
Insects are often first to suffer. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies are highly sensitive to airborne toxins and contaminated plants. Fewer insects means fewer birds and wildlife. Ecosystems grow quieter and less balanced.
Birds are particularly vulnerable. Rapid breathing increases their exposure. Toxins enter through insects, seeds, and nesting materials. Over time, immune systems weaken, reproduction suffers, and lifespans shorten.
Many materials burned, including tires, plastics, and wiring, have safer disposal options. Burning them does not remove waste. It spreads toxins through air, soil, and water.
Smoke does not disappear when the fire goes out. It lingers in the air, settles into the ground, and becomes part of the place we all live.
Please. The fire may be yours, but the impact is everyone’s.
This post was written with the assistance of AI tools.
If you cannot think ahead or use common sense when burning, please at least seek more information on the health and environmental effects of open burning. See the following resources:
~The Open Burning of Plastic Wastes is an Urgent Global Health Issue
