Date:         Wed, 18 Jun 1997 14:06:37 -0500 (CDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Malcolm Williamson <malcolm@cast.uark.edu>
Subject:      Re: burning plastic

I believe that the simple answer to this question is "It depends on the 
plastic." Some plastics, such as polyethylene, are just hydrocarbons, and 
therefor basically give off water, CO2, maybe CO when burned. However, a 
good number of other plastics definitely have nasties in them. I believe 
vinyls would definitely fall into this category, and styrene (as in 
"styrofoam") may also. Urethanes are _definitely_ bad to burn and breath. 
The moral of this story: if you don't know what you're burning, and 
you or someone else is going to be around to breath it, don't burn it!

Of course, all of this is overlooking the fact that it is probably 
illegal to burn trash in your state. It is here in Arkansas, and we don't 
lead the nation in much! :)   (Not to claim that people don't burn trash 
here....)

The real solution, of course, it to use as little as possible, and 
recycle as much as you can. 'Tain't easy, I know!
	-Malcolm Williamson



On Wed, 18 Jun 1997, Martha wrote:

> 
> This subject has come up a few times in the past during campouts,
> but apparently we offended one listmembers enough this past trip
> to cause her to cry.  I'd like to hear from you all (without
> this turning into some horrible emotional frenzy), especially
> scientfic types like Joe, Ann, etc., who may have factual info
> to enlighten us.
> 
> As some of you know, some of us on past CCC's trips have burned
> plastics in our campfire.
> 
> Personally, I have done this because of the following reasons:
> 
> 1.  It seems to me better to burn it, than for it to end up
>     in the landfill.
> 
> 2.  If people were planning to recycle the plastic, I'd feel differently,
>      but I continually see the complainers putting plastic in containers
>      destined for landfill, rather than for recycling.
> 
> 3.  Give that it's going into the landfill, is it worse for the
>     environment to put it there, or burn it?
> 
> 4.  If we burn it, how does it compare to the pollution we are
>     putting into the environment by having and running a vehicle?
>     A drop in the bucket is my guess, but I'd be interested in facts on this.
> 
> 5.  If we burn it, how does it compare to the pollution we
>     are putting into the environment by burning a campfire, not
>     even counting that we are using up trees this way.  
> 
> I do concede that burning plastic does put some nasty stuff into
> the air, but then so does driving a car, and ESPECIALLY driving
> a car recreationally.  And so does wood.  What I'd like is a
> comparison on how significant the burning of plastic is next
> to the 2 other things we are doing.  All non-emotional and
> substantiated information especially welcome.  :)
> 
> /martha
>