What's that smell?

[Magician]

Yep, there's no mistaking it. That chemical smell of someone burning plastic in their trash. If you are like me, you live on Beaver Island because you don't want to smell the toxic fumes of a neighbor burning plastic items in their trash. In the middle of the afternoon, on a Sunday, or any day, we have a strict policy of recycling on this island. There is no reason to burn your plastic trash here. When I go outside, on my 14+ acres, to work in my garden, right next to my house, and all I can smell is the toxic fumes of burning plastic, it really burns me up! I want to smell the sweet sweet air of this most pristine of places, what many of us rely on for bringing tourists to support our lives here. Some would have that ruined by their selfish, lazy habits of doing whatever they want on their own property. I'm not going to say where this is, but if you are burning your plastic trash, just stop it! We have a damn good group of people who take care of this for us at the transfer station. All you have to do is get it there. How can we hold up Beaver Island as an example of an eco-safe environment while releasing these chemical fossil fuel carbons into the air? It goes against everything laid out in the Master Plan for our Island.
Ok, rant over.

[PScott]

I have experienced this on Beaver Island. It makes me so mad! The air is so pure and then a neighbor burns everything instead of handling it properly. And dumps junk in the woods right off the road.

[vdetwiler]

The smell of burning plastic is one of the nastiest smells ever, in my opinion. It severely nauseates me. I know some believe that it's no big deal, but I strongly disagree. I have tried to explain that not only is it nasty, it's also harmful to our planet, but some people will not believe, or maybe just don't care. Also, even if you don't believe it's horrible for the planet, it is offensive to people around you. That alone should matter. Some people It's free to recycle. Just do it!

[Magician]

Thank you for listening. Sorry to hear that it happens in other spots around the island. Some folks grew up with the idea that it was ok to just burn everything, and it is going to take some education to change their ways. Trouble is, too many people think they have learned everything they are going to learn in this life. I welcome your stories that may or may not help in this process.