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player ready...What says autumn better than the aroma of benzo(a)pyrene?
Burning leaves are just loaded with benzo(a)pyrene, a chemical known to cause lung caner.
Burning leaves also emit dust, soot, other particles and carbon monoxide, which enter the bloodstream and can reduce the flow of oxygen to the lungs.
The smoke of burning leaves wreaks havoc on children, the elderly and people suffering from asthma or other lung or heart conditions.
Which is why, no matter how delicious benzo(a)pyrene smells, you can’t burn leaves in Oak Park.
The nostalgic part of me – while fully agreeing that burning leaves is wrong and should not be done – can’t help but remember when either no one knew the smoke of burning leaves was harmful, or they didn’t bother to tell us. Remember, we used to be told that cigarette smoke was good for our “T-zone,” whatever that is.
I must be loaded with benzo(a)pyrene because we would burn leaves all autumn years ago. I used to stand in that, crisp, crackling, woody smoke. The smoke smelled so good I knew it just had to taste delicious. So, we would wrap potatoes in layers of newspaper and toss them in the fire. Later, we’d rake out the potatoes, peel off the paper remnants and eat them. And they were delicious. Man, I must be just crawling with benzo(a)pyrene!
But that was years ago. I haven’t touched match to leaf in ages.
Now, we in Oak Park have a thorough and responsible system for leaf disposal.
In fact, you might call from now through Dec. 3 leaf disposal season in Oak Park. For more information about the village’s leaf disposal program, visit www.oak-park.us.
But even this method is not without it’s hazards. I would ask you not to put anything hard in your leaf pile.
I almost broke a toe that way once.
Paul Sassone is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press.