Turn in an illegal burn barrel, get a free compost bin Saturday in Stevens County

SPOKANE - Stevens County residents can swap burn barrels for free compost bins on Saturday, July 18, in the Suncrest area of Stevens County. The trade-in project involves the Air Quality Program of the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Stevens County Solid Waste Department, and Stevens County Fire District 1. The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the fire district’s Station 8, 5990 Highway 291. It’s illegal to use burn barrels in Washington. By composting yard debris instead of burning, you can: * Produce useful materials for your garden and lawn. * Reduce harmful air pollution caused by illegal burning. Smoke from outdoor burning pollutes the air, causing serious health problems. Much like cigarette smoke, the smoke from burning leaves, grass, brush, and tree needles can cause asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, and lung cancer. Children, the elderly, and those with breathing problems are most harmed by poor air quality. * Avoid sparking wildfires. Backyard fires that get out of control set off most of the wildfires caused by people. You can be held responsible for the cost of putting out your out-of-control fire, which can be very expensive. * Cut the amount of yard debris that goes into the county landfill. Stevens County residents turned in 68 burn barrels during a similar event on June 13.