Unregulated trash burning is a sadly common practice that could be emitting into the atmosphere far more pollution than shown by official records. According to a new study led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (USA), more than 40% of the world's garbage is burned in such fires, emitting gases and particles that can substantially affect human health and climate change.

The researchers estimated the amount of waste disposed of through unregulated burning by comparing the population figures and per capita waste production with official accounts of trash disposal for each country in the world. By analyzing consumption patterns, they were then able to estimate the type and amount of pollutants from the fires.

The study concluded that the fires, mostly located in populous developing countries, produce emissions equivalent to as much as 29% of officially reported human-related global emissions of small particulates (less than 2.5 microns in diameter), as well as 10% of mercury and 64% of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Since these fires are not officially reported, the researchers are aware that the real emissions could be twice as high or low as the estimated values. However, this study is an important attempt to try to account for this kind of emissions.
Unlike those coming from incinerators, the emissions from burning trash in open fires are not accounted by the environmental agencies and therefore not incorporated into policy making. Quantifying the extent of burning trash may change how policy makers track emissions, as well as how scientists incorporate air pollution into computer models used to study the atmosphere.

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