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Explora: Environment

and Resource

REVIEW ARTICLE
Implications of leaf burning for adverse

respiratory conditions and release of fine
particulates and air pollutants

Luke Theodore Curtis*

Department of Public Health, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of
America

Abstract

The residential burning of leaves, brush, grass, and other forms of vegetation are
major and underappreciated source of particulates smaller than 2.5 µm (PM ),
2.5
carbon monoxide, and many other air pollutants including carcinogenic polycyclic
hydrocarbons such as benzo(a)pyrene. Residential leaf burning has been linked to
significantly poorer urban/suburban air quality, respiratory morbidity and mortality,
serious burn injuries to people, and property damage. Other forms of biomass
burning such as wildfires, wood burning, peatland wildfires, and the deliberate
burning of woodlands and agricultural fields produce large amounts of air pollutants,
which are somewhat similar in composition to those released from leaf burning. Leaf
burning has been linked to significantly higher rates of asthma and other respiratory
problems. Exposure to wildfire smoke has been linked to significantly higher rates
of cancer, infections, and a wide range of health conditions including respiratory,
cardiovascular, psychiatric, and reproductive problems. Leaf burning and other forms
*Corresponding author:
Luke Curtis of biomass burning produce significant quantities of dark particulates that accelerate
(lukecurtis1328@gmail.com) global warming. Leaf burning also presents serious risk of burn injuries to humans,
wildlife, and buildings. A number of U.S. states and European Countries have imposed
Citation: Curtis LT. Implications of
leaf burning for adverse respiratory total state or national bans on leaf burning. In fact, many communities offer free
conditions and release of fine or inexpensive community leaf pickup and composting services. Leaf composting
particulates and air pollutants. offers many advantages over leaf burning; for instance, leaf compost is a valuable
Explora Environ Resour.
2024;1(1):4040. product useful for growing plants. In conclusion, homeowners, communities, and
doi: 10.36922/eer.4040 nations should compost leaves, brush, and grass clippings rather than burning them.
Received: June 25, 2024
Accepted: October 8, 2024 Keywords: Leaf burning; Wildfires; Wood burning; Biomass burning; Asthma; Leaf
composting; PM ; Polyaromatichydrocarbons
Published Online: November 5, 2024 2.5
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution 1. Introduction
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, The burning of leaves, grass, and brush is a common and underappreciated form of air
provided the original work is pollution in many parts of the world. Leaf/landscape burning produces large quantities
properly cited. of particulates smaller than 2.5 µm (PM ), carbon monoxide, and many other toxic
2.5
1
Publisher’s Note: AccScience chemicals including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benzo(a)pyrene.
Publishing remains neutral with Leaf burning pollution is often concentrated in residential areas and during certain
regard to jurisdictional claims in 1,2
published maps and institutional times of the year such as the mid-fall following heavy leaf drops. The air pollution
affiliations. produced by leaf/grass/brush burning is somewhat similar in composition (although

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2024) 1 doi: 10.36922/eer.4040