Do you guys burn your trash in your campfire? Why or why not?

Went camping this weekend and the group was split down the middle. Someone argued that it's better than the trash ending up in the landfill or in a river. People threw in stuff casually. Plastic forks, beer cans, leftovers. Generally the group pretty much agreed that as long as you do it while avoiding breathing in the fumes and you don't leave any trash behind there's not much harm. By my estimate we cut down on at least half the trash we carried out. It was a primitive campsite so we had to find a dumpster in town. I've been in group campsites in the past where the trash cans and dumpsters are so packed that people leave their trash bags next to the dumpster or trash can. I know it's illegal in most parks but I've always seen people do it casually. Wondering what TW thinks.

 

Plastics do not belong in a campfire. Aluminum cans do not belong in a campfire.
Paper and left-overs are fine with me.

 

I only burn napkins? paper bags? wooden skewers? Last line of defense had some live rounds in a pre made fire pit from previously campers and it when off on his GF.

 

If I’m sure it will completely burn away before I leave, then it’s fair game to burn. Even aluminum and glass will burn completely if the fire is hot enough. But I pretty much never have a hot enough fire when I camp to do that so I don’t attempt it while camping. It sucks having to pull a bunch of charred aluminum cans from a fire pit before leaving camp.

 

Paper products all day long. Glass, Aluminum, plastic, nah! Don't bring glass, why would you ever bring glass camping! If you're bringing cans just crush them, you'll save a ton of space, same with water bottles, squeeze the air out and stick the cap back on and take trash it. Pack out the silverware if its plastic! Don't burn it, just my opinion!

 

Good god I have seen so much aluminum and glass in fire pits - please don't even tell people this because the fire is rarely hot enough.

 

In the morning we had to pull out the remains of a couple of beer cans but to my surprise all the bottles had melted away except for half of one. We made sure nothing was left in the fire pit for the next camper. I think I agree with you about "being sure it will burn away before I leave." but I'm pretty sure it's illegal in most places.

 

Yea, I said that.

 

Going to a wilderness area and trashing the air and groundwater and general environment by burning plastic and metals etc is really lame. If you can't go low impact, you do not deserve to be there.

 

Pack it in, pack it out. Leave it better then before you came is how I was taught.

 

Only burn the food.

 

Anyone who routinely throws plastic items into the fire whilst camping should not be permitted in any national or state park.

 

Just paper plates, napkins, and paper stuffs. Can at least get rid of food debris that way if you dont have cleanable dishes.

Isnt ever hot enough to burn anything else.

 

Pack it out!

But better yet, don't bring disposable/single-use items with you in the first place.

 

After having to chase down and extinguish a cardboard beer box that ended up flying away fully engulfed in flames, I no longer throw camp trash in the fire. I don't need that kind of excitement.

 

No, I don't burn my trash in the campfire because I'm not an asshole.

Edit: non-coated paper products only - ensuring it isn't windy and the flaming embers aren't going to be blown onto flammable materials/catch the forest on fire.

 

People think that stuff burns off but you see it all the time left over in fire pits. Maybe take your trash into town if the campground trash is full?

I have had luck asking the attendant if there is another area I can leave my trash and they do appreciate me asking, often they can recommend another dumpster that is close by.

I am known as the camp trash dweeb, I have a recycling and trash can, we organize people with gloves for campground cleanups.
Many popular areas in Colorado and Utah are getting bad... don't even get me started on human waste being dug into desert sand or at elevation.

Another issue with "melting" items in the fire is people often feel like they have to create a large fire to melt these items. You might find a smaller fire is nice since you can quickly put it out all the way before you go to sleep. Just my .02 cents...

I will admit it is very very difficult to get your buddies to not throw things in the fire.

 

Aluminum and Glass do not just disappear when burned "hot enough".... They melt, and turn into blobs of aluminum / glass.... If you're throwing your beer cans / bottles in the fire you should stop.

 

To add, aluminum combusts around 2500 degrees minimum.