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DPS stops issuance of burning permits
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Posted on Sep 12 2008
The Department of Public Safety has suspended the issuance of burning permits as well as all previously issued permits effective yesterday due to complaints that smoke emissions could pose a danger to health.
DPS spokesperson Lei Ogumoro said they have also suspended the open burning of trash or vegetation.
“We’re enforcing this because of complaints from the community regarding smoke emission coming from the burning of garbage,” Ogumoro said in a press conference.
She said smoke emissions pose health risks to neighbors of people who are burning trash and a danger to those who have respiratory problems.
As an alternative, people should instead gather their vegetation or trash and bring them to the trash stations in Lower Base and in Marpi, said firefighter Dan Suel of DPS Fire Prevention Section.
“We have been conducting public education [about] the Open Burning Act and we still find people conducting open burning without permits,” Suel pointed out.
He said they are going to stop open fire burning of trash.
“We are also trying to educate people that we really mean what we…say,” he said.
Suel said they are stopping the issuance of burning permits until further notice.
“We are trying to promote a healthy environment throughout the island of Saipan,” he added.
Suel said the Attorney General’s Office is still drafting the regulations as well as the penalties for violators.
Firefighter Paul Sasamoto of the DPS Forestry Section emphasized that it is illegal to burn garbage at one’s residence.
Sasamoto said it is also prohibited to burn oil, rubber, and other similar materials, which would produce unreasonable amounts of air contaminants.
