Burner law is passed by council
By Louise James, staff writer
MILLERSBURG - Borough council, at its Oct. 8 meeting, adopted a 13-page ordinance regulating Outside Fuel Burning Appliances (heat plants located in the yard, outside the residence).
This ordinance applies only to OFBAs, and does not apply to outside cooking grills, inside heaters, nor patio burners, council said.
The ordinance was written due to concerns about air pollution problems that have surfaced in some communities with OFBAs, council said.
Regulations. The following lists some, but not all, of the regulations in the ordinance:
Must be located at least 200 feet from a neighbor's home;
The smoke stack must be 3 feet higher than the roof peak of any residence within 500 feet of the furnace;
The smoke stack may not be higher than 55 feet;
No OFBA may be installed or operated in a building used for human or animal habitation, unless designed and manufactured specifically for that type of use;
A scrubber or filter system must be attached to the unit;
A fan or blower system must be a part of the unit;
OFBAs may not be located within 25 feet of any structure without borough permission;
Must meet EPA emission standards;
No home-made OFBAs are permitted;
Only fuel specifically permitted by the manufacturer may be used;
No OFBA may be operated until it is inspected and approved both by an authorized representative of the Millersburg Fire Co. and an official representative of borough council;
A permit must be obtained before an OFBA is installed and operated. Permit fee is $100;
Ashes or waste cannot be accumulated on the property; it must be disposed of weekly with the trash;
OFBAs may be utilized from Oct. 1 through April 30;
No OFBAs may be operated on days that the EPA declares "air quality action day;"
Burning materials to be stacked and/or stored under cover, free from insects and rodents and
The smoke stack must be reinforced so that it is not a threat to anyone during high winds.
Prohibited fuel. The ordinance states that the following may not be burned in any OFBA in the borough:
Any wood that does not meet the definition of "clean wood;"
Garbage, household trash and newspapers;
Tires and tire products;
Waste petroleum products;
Paint and thinners;
Construction and demolition debris, fiberglass or asbestos products and plywood;
Manure and/or human waste;
Asphalt products;
Animal carcasses, or other animal by-products;
Plastic or rubber products, wire, and cable insulation;
Leaves or wet and soggy wood, grass clippings, and other vegetative matter;
Recyclable materials;
Batteries;
Bio-hazardous waste, bandages, wound dressings, syringes, etc. and
Materials that create a foul or offensive odor, or that cause smoke emissions that are reasonably offensive to occupants of surrounding properties.
Rapid response praised. Mayor Brian Musa congratulated council on its expeditious handling of this ordinance.
By Louise James, staff writer
MILLERSBURG - Borough council, at its Oct. 8 meeting, adopted a 13-page ordinance regulating Outside Fuel Burning Appliances (heat plants located in the yard, outside the residence).
This ordinance applies only to OFBAs, and does not apply to outside cooking grills, inside heaters, nor patio burners, council said.
The ordinance was written due to concerns about air pollution problems that have surfaced in some communities with OFBAs, council said.
Regulations. The following lists some, but not all, of the regulations in the ordinance:
Must be located at least 200 feet from a neighbor's home;
The smoke stack must be 3 feet higher than the roof peak of any residence within 500 feet of the furnace;
The smoke stack may not be higher than 55 feet;
No OFBA may be installed or operated in a building used for human or animal habitation, unless designed and manufactured specifically for that type of use;
A scrubber or filter system must be attached to the unit;
A fan or blower system must be a part of the unit;
OFBAs may not be located within 25 feet of any structure without borough permission;
Must meet EPA emission standards;
No home-made OFBAs are permitted;
Only fuel specifically permitted by the manufacturer may be used;
No OFBA may be operated until it is inspected and approved both by an authorized representative of the Millersburg Fire Co. and an official representative of borough council;
A permit must be obtained before an OFBA is installed and operated. Permit fee is $100;
Ashes or waste cannot be accumulated on the property; it must be disposed of weekly with the trash;
OFBAs may be utilized from Oct. 1 through April 30;
No OFBAs may be operated on days that the EPA declares "air quality action day;"
Burning materials to be stacked and/or stored under cover, free from insects and rodents and
The smoke stack must be reinforced so that it is not a threat to anyone during high winds.
Prohibited fuel. The ordinance states that the following may not be burned in any OFBA in the borough:
Any wood that does not meet the definition of "clean wood;"
Garbage, household trash and newspapers;
Tires and tire products;
Waste petroleum products;
Paint and thinners;
Construction and demolition debris, fiberglass or asbestos products and plywood;
Manure and/or human waste;
Asphalt products;
Animal carcasses, or other animal by-products;
Plastic or rubber products, wire, and cable insulation;
Leaves or wet and soggy wood, grass clippings, and other vegetative matter;
Recyclable materials;
Batteries;
Bio-hazardous waste, bandages, wound dressings, syringes, etc. and
Materials that create a foul or offensive odor, or that cause smoke emissions that are reasonably offensive to occupants of surrounding properties.
Rapid response praised. Mayor Brian Musa congratulated council on its expeditious handling of this ordinance.
