The TMLA Board of Directors wants to remind the entire membership of the Association that burn barrels for home burning of household trash are illegal throughout the State of Minnesota. The hardware store may sell burn barrels, but that doesn't mean you are allowed to use them.

For specific kinds of debris such as old untreated lumber, brush, and tree branches, you may be able to get a permit to have a bonfire after five in the evening when the volunteer fire department would be able to respond if things got out of hand. But household materials such as paper, plastics, and other household trash must be removed to an approved facility such as a transfer station. Treated lumber and most building debris must be taken to a demolition landfill.

With an effort you can recycle a lot of household materials: glass bottles, plastic bottles, newspapers, other clean household paper, cans. This will greatly reduce the amount of material you have to pay for to dispose of at the transfer station.

And think about starting a simple compost pile for all your waste vegetable materials. That will reduce your transportable garbage even more, and you will end up with some useful potting soil!