Things safe to burn

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Barry
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At our allotment, we discourage the burning of anything that is not organic (paper, wood, plants) in nature. However, somebody told me today that it is safe to burn plastics and the like on allotment fires if a high enough level of heat can be generated, which he claimed was possible in an ordinary bonfire. I have seen twisted black masses of plastic that have not disappeared in bonfires. As a result, I am not sure if he is right or not. Can anybody guide me? If he is wrong, what are the dangers of burning plastic on an allotment that will eventually be cropped?
Thanks.
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Rubberman
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"Plastics" covered a wide range of polymeric materials and each type of plastic material will produce different decomposition products, so it is really not easy to give you an accurate assessment of the dangers.

The idea that it is safe to burn plastics is, to some extent, true and can be useful for energy recovery in some cases. However, this is usually carried out at temperatures far higher than I would expect in a bonfire, and with filters to remove some of the more harmful fume components. It is also impossible to tell what additives may have been used in commercial products and there may be chemicals in there that you would not want on your allotment, such as heavy metal pigments (in older plastic products), UV stabilisers, fillers and so on.

Overall, I would suggest that your policy of burning only organic materia is the best policy and plastics materials are better off in a bin or, ideally, at a recycling centre.

Hope this helps and I'm pleased to be able to offer some intelligent thought on a subject I know a bit about at last!

Regards,

Rubberman
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Malk
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besides burning plastic stinks to high heaven and not something I want to experience while I'm at the plot. But a good wood fire is lovely, with some marshmallows and chocolate.
Welcome to Finland!!
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richard p
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its just been made illegal for farmers to bury or burn plastic. from the technical point of view plastics can be incinerated in a proper oven with at high temps with smoke filtration, burning on a bonfire can result in release of toxic smoke or gasses to the atmosphere and toxins leaching into the soil from the ash. if memory serves me right there was something about burnt plastics in car fires forming a sticky flesh eating acid which is very difficult to get rid off once youve touched it.
Beccy
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Aren't dioxins a real danger if you don't burn plastics hot enough? And as I understand it there is no 'safe' level of dioxins.

Any way I'm with Malk on the smell. We live by our allotment, it's at the bottom of the garden. Occasionally you get some looney burning say kitchen cupboards and it can make it impossible to go out. One guy seemed to be burning at least a kitchens worth, took him days and it produced a really horrid smeach.
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Rubberman
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Beccy,

you are right in some cases but not in general. Dioxins are produced when burning plastics that contain chloride, such as PVC. Most other plastics are non-chlorinated and therefore will not produce dioxins. There are numerous other unwanted byproducts of burning though so still wouldn't recommend it!

Richard P,

Also right in part. Burning cars do indeed produce acid (can't remember off the top of my head which one - might be formic), it is as a result of the combination of burning plastics, foam, fuel, oil, fabrics, paint and all the other bits that make up the car. The primary blame lies with the seat foam, usually polyurethane.

Regards,
Rubberman
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
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