Open Burning In Michigan: What You Need To Know Now

During the summer and going into the fall, you will notice that more people are burning things that they no longer need. But what are the laws for Michigan exactly? Does Michigan have a burning barrel ban, or are people allowed to burden whatever they want? For that matter, what is illegal to burn in Michigan, anyway?

The answer is a little bit more detailed, as there are some things that are OK to burn in the state and some things that are never OK to burn.

But as it pertains to what a burning barrel policy is, they explain the following:

"Open burning" is the burning of unwanted materials such as paper, trees, brush, leaves, grass, and other debris where smoke and other emissions are released directly into the air. During open burning, air pollutants do not pass through a chimney or stack.

The state of Michigan has made it very clear on their website of what is acceptable and not acceptable to burn:

Open burning pollutes the air and poses a forest fire hazard. The air pollution created by open burning can irritate eyes and lungs, obscure visibility, soil nearby surfaces, create annoying odors or pose other nuisance or health threats. If you have questions about open burning, watch the video below

What Is Illegal To Burn In Michigan?

Overall, there is no burning barrel ban in Michigan, and many of the burning laws are set by the county and not necessarily the entire state overall. Below, you can find an extensive list of things that are illegal to burn in Michigan: