Clean Air For All - The Campaign to End Field Burning

Summer is a time we associate with picnics, BBQs, and swimming holes, but for many Willamette Valley residents it’s a time left struggling for the very air they breathe. They’re forced to stay indoors, must keep their children inside, miss days at work, and in some cases, rack up thousands of dollars in medical bills. The cause? Field burning.

The examples above are some of the more obvious impacts of field burning, but field burning affects us all. Because the smoke contains small particulates which cannot be filtered by our lungs, it presents long-term cumulative health risks to every Willamette Valley resident. And it isn’t even necessary.

A Brief History

Beginning in the late 40’s, field burning was used by grass seed farmers as a means to destroy pests and plant diseases, control weeds, and boost seed yields. As the residential population of the Willamette Valley grew (and the inconveniences due to field burning with it), field burning came under more and more criticism. Then in 1988, decreased visibility due to field burning smoke caused a deadly traffic accident on I-5. The Oregon Legislature couldn’t ignore the problem any more. In 1991, they approved a phase-down that capped open field burning in the Willamette Valley at 65,000 acres. At the time, the major concerns were the obvious problems with burning: difficulties with breathing and visibility during the burns. The risks from small particulates were still unknown.

Field Burning and Your Health

Grass seed field burning produces thousands of tons of air pollution, creating a public health crisis in Oregon every summer. Many residents are forced to stay inside, keep their children inside, miss work, and even leave their homes to find clearer skies. They experience headaches, itchy eyes, scratchy throats, difficulties in breathing, nosebleeds, nausea, fatigue, stress, and fear. These are only some of the obvious affects of field burning. In reality, field burning affects us all.

The smoke from field burning contains small particles (fine particulate matter) that penetrate deep into our lungs and cannot be filtered out. The American Medical Association has found that even short-term exposure to these particles increases the risk for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases including diabetes, arrhythmia, asthma, heart failure, and cardiac arrest. In fact, an increase of 10 micrograms of particulate matter per cubic meter results in an 11 percent increase in the number of strokes. Exactly such an increase occurred on July 10^th, 2007 in Eugene when a small field burn near Harrisbug went awry. Bigger increases due to field burns have been recorded elsewhere.

Children are especially vulnerable. Early exposure to smoke can lead to a lifetime of respiratory ailments and decreased lung capacity. Particulate pollution has been linked to infant death, premature birth, and low birth weight.

The Oregon Medical Association, the American Lung Association of Oregon and the Lane County Medical Society have all expressed concerns about the health affects of field burning. All three support a ban to field burning.,

Go to Field Burning and Your Health for more detailed information about field burning and your health, including a list of toxics contained in the smoke.

Is Burning Necessary?

Since the 1991 cap on field burning, the number of acres burned has decreased by 90%, yet grass seed production has doubled and the industry has continued to grow. Furthermore, field burning has been banned in Washington and Idaho, and their grass seed industry continues to prosper. Field burning is an outdated practice that is not longer necessary. It continues more out of resistance to change than out of necessity

What are the Alternatives?

The research conducted as a result of the 1991 legislation identified a variety of alternative practices and strategies that farmers can use to lessen their dependence on fertilizers and herbicides and avoid the need for fire.

In addition to ridding themselves of unwanted straw farmers have used burning as a means to control weeds and prevent fungal disease. Research has also identified ways of addressing these two problems:

New rotation crops - Meadowfoam is a broad-leaf plant whose seed oil is used in cosmetics. When harvested the field is largely free of unwanted grasses and ready to be planted in ryegrass or fescue.
New grass seed strains - Fungal disease is now successfully avoided by using later flowering seed strains

The grass stalks left over after harvesting the seed can be:

Mulched - Finely chopped up and left on the field, stalks help preserve soil moisture, improve soil tilth, prevent erosion, suppress weed growth and reduce fertilizer needs;
Composted - Straw pushed off the field, into windrows, and mixed with nitrogen provides a future soil amendment;
Bailed and sold as livestock feed - A $60 million industry has developed to harvest and ship the straw to countries in Asia.

What Oregon Toxics Alliance is Doing

Oregon Toxics Alliance is using legislative and legal actions to ban field burning within the Willamette Valley.

What can you do?

Go to our Take Action page to find out.

Clean Air for All is brought to you by your statewide advocacy group Oregon Toxics Alliance and the Western Environmental Law Center.