Never Burn These Items in Your Fireplace

There’s just something about having a crackling fireplace to cozy up to on cold days and nights. In addition to practicing fire safety when you do have a fire going, there are some things you might be tempted to throw into the fire but shouldn’t.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that the only thing you burn in your fireplace is seasoned firewood. Seasoned firewood is wood that has been dried outside for at least six months. Wood that is not seasoned burns more slowly and creates a lot of smoke.

Here are some of the items that shouldn’t be burned in your fireplace.

Household trash, including cardboard, junk mail, or wrapping paper. These items are commonly treated with ink, plastics, wax, or other substances that can release toxic fumes when burned.

Plastic, rubber, or Styrofoam. Maybe you’ve been to an outside bonfire and people have tossed in plastic bottles. They melt and burn for a long time. The problem is that burning plastics releases something called dioxin in high concentrations. Once dioxins are in the environment, they stay for years and can get into the tissues of animals (which may be eaten by us) and then they can cause health issues.

Coated or painted wood, pressure treated wood, particle boards or wood with glue such as pallets. These kinds of wood or wood that has been treated with chemicals means those can be released when burned. You don’t want those kinds of chemicals in the air of your home. Plus, the chemicals in paint or other substances can cause your fire to burn much hotter than what your fireplace is intended to withstand.