Any resident whose home is fully or partially heated by a stove or fireplace knows that it is better to heat the dwelling with good firewood.
However, firewood, especially in large quantities, costs a significant amount of money, so some residents try to combine "the useful with the pleasant": keeping their homes warm by burning items that are not quite suitable for this purpose in stoves and/or fireplaces, while saving on waste disposal fees.
Since this phenomenon is by no means rare, the State Environmental Service (VVD) decided to remind that burning household waste in Latvia is strictly prohibited: such actions harm the environment and pose a threat to human health, and consequently, lead to administrative penalties. This ban applies not only to plastic products and household waste but also to treated wood and old wooden furniture.
As explained by the VVD, even a small amount of "non-conforming" waste burned in a stove or fireplace harms the ecology. At low temperatures, waste does not burn completely, producing toxic intermediate products.
The VVD warns: for violations related to improper waste disposal (including burning), individuals may be fined up to 1000 euros, and legal entities up to 2800 euros.
If someone occasionally burns waste in a stove, fireplace, or simply on a fire on their private property, the VVD recommends reporting this to the municipal police.
