Wrap-Burning Discouraged

Whatever the present, don’t burn the wrap.

That’s the message from air, water and storm water agency officials, who say burning gift-wrap in fireplaces -- especially wrapping paper with metallic accents --  routes pollutants straight up the chimney and into the neighborhood (and to some degree, right back into the house).

“It's not good to breathe, nor is it good when it gets washed down the storm drains and flows into the Bay,” said Grier McCurdy Mathews, speaking for the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies, Air Quality Management District and Stormwater Management Association.

Wrapping paper creates tons of waste every year and, when burned, produces toxic smoke and fumes which pollute the air and water.

“It may seem innocuous, but holiday gift wrap can create serious environmental and health impacts when burned,” said Geoff Brosseau, stormwater agency executive director.

Foil-based wrap is one of the worst offenders. It can’t be recycled, and the smoke contains dioxin and toxic metals.

“It goes up in the air and then falls on the land and washes into the waterway as soot,” he said.

Burning even non-toxic items creates smoke and soot and presents a threat for children, pets, and those with respiratory illnesses such as asthma, according to the air quality district.

In 2008, the Air District passed a regulation that prohibits wood burning on days when a winter Spare the Air alert has been called. When an alert is in effect, it is illegal for Bay Area residents and businesses to use their fireplaces, woodstoves and inserts, pellet stoves, outdoor fire pits, or any other wood-burning devices.

Already this season, officials have called eight Spare the Air alerts, with another expected on Christmas Eve.

“The most effective way to reduce waste and landfill build-up is to use less wrapping paper overall and rely more on creative wrapping and reusable options,” said Gary Wolff, executive director of StopWaste.Org.

People who pledge not to burn gift wrap this season are eligible to win a VISA gift card.

Some alternatives to traditional wrapping paper:

¨     Reusable gift bags

¨     Newspaper comics

¨     Painted and decorated grocery/shopping bags: decorate with colorful stamps and wrap with re-usable bows and flowers

¨     Holiday tins

¨     Cloth napkins or scarves

¨     Baskets, tied with fabric ribbons

More information is available at BayWise.org.

Information on Spare the Air alerts is available by calling 1-877-4NO BURN.

To sign up for Winter Spare the Air Alerts, residents are encouraged to visit www.SpareTheAir.org and to “like”Spare the Air on Facebook.