EQC = Environmental Quality Control

My neighbors burn their household trash, which is illegal. The smell is awful, and it gives me terrible headaches. Not to mention I can't even hang clothes out to dry without them stinking.

Has anyone every done this? What happens to them? They have been doing it for years. I just moved here last year. Yes I have asked them to stop. These people have even smoked in my house knowing I am a non smoker and that I hate the smell. I stopped letting them in my home last Jan.

They even burn hairspray cans that explode and have gotten the firemen called out on them only to be told to not burn after dark.

I just want them to stop burning trash. I don't want them knowing I called.
Any advice?

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Report them to the EPA Enviromental Protection Agency. They have a contact us button on their site. Then no one will know who reported them.

In our area, it is legal to burn trash after a specified time. There are some times we need a burning permit, other times not. Are you in a city or out in the boondocks?

If it's not against the city/town/county ordinance to burn trash, you will be stuck with it. It sounds like it has been something they've been doing for years and won't stop just because a new neighbor moved in. If it truly is illegal in all of the above ordinances, then go to the EPA and make your complaints anonymously. However, you're neighbors will figure out it was you and angry neighbors make bad neighbors.

Good luck!

Oh yes, it's Illegal to burn household trash here in the Upstate of SC

The trash man I use only charges $15/mo. for pickup. There's not reason for them not to have it picked up instead of burning it 2 or 3 times a week. They are already bad neighbors.. so this won't make too much of a difference in that dept. but at least I can enjoy going outside without my lungs and eyes burning.

A newcomer's guide to the Upstate | GreenvilleOnline.com | The Greenville News

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Support bacteria -- it's the only culture some people have!

If Vegetarians eat Vegetables. Do Humanitarians eat Humans?

'Vegetarian' is an old Native American word for bad hunter.

Then by all means go after them and get relief for yourself! Bad neighbors are bad neighbors - doesn't matter if they are angry or not (referring to my post above).

Being nice evidently doesn't work, so now it's time to get down and dirty. Call the cops (town, city, county, state) each and every time they burn. Inform the police that for every time you call them, you'll also be reporting to the EPA. That should get a bug up their butt.

If the fire department was called out, why didn't they do something. I don't understand the don't burn after dark, if it is illegal they should do something.

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Sometimes the elevator often the shaft

mrswright, i also wonder that too. Only thing I can think is they told them they were burning leaves/brush or something and that can accidentally got in there?? We can burn leaves and untreated wood and such from 9am to 3pm
Is it possible the fire dept doesn't even realize burning trash is illegal now?? I would hope they keep up with things like these.

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Support bacteria -- it's the only culture some people have!

If Vegetarians eat Vegetables. Do Humanitarians eat Humans?

'Vegetarian' is an old Native American word for bad hunter.

The fire department will probably only give a warning the first time, maybe even the second, but if someone keeps calling them they will have to report it. You can also call your town hall or maybe even the police and they should issue a summons, fire department can't really do anything like that.

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Small update.
I called the local EQC office in my town this morning. She asked for my name, and I told her I didn't want to give it and she said that was ok. She asked what they were burning, and I said household trash, she asked me their address and name. I gave it and she said she would tell the "air people" about it. I'll see if anything happens.. maybe they'll send a letter to them about being reported to stop burning household trash. Every time they burn, I will call.

I am sure them burning their trash didn't make my Mom feel so well, when she was living here with lung cancer

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Support bacteria -- it's the only culture some people have!

If Vegetarians eat Vegetables. Do Humanitarians eat Humans?

'Vegetarian' is an old Native American word for bad hunter.

Good for you, Susiecat! And good luck too! I hope it all works out in your best interest.

Thanks zookeeper

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Support bacteria -- it's the only culture some people have!

If Vegetarians eat Vegetables. Do Humanitarians eat Humans?

'Vegetarian' is an old Native American word for bad hunter.

Yeah, you just have to report that kind of thing. . .and keep reporting it if it doesn't change. We have a new Code Enforcement Dept in the city I live in. There was a street corner mechanic across the street from my kids school that I watched poor oil down a storm drain. I reported him and he got a pretty hefty fine. I think there were some state fines too since he was a business. The code enforcement officer has told me how they just had to do a big clean up and traced it back to that neighborhood. What a dork! Stuff that goes down the storm drain goes directly into Puget Sound.

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