(a)  The director may, by rule or regulation, prohibit the burning of any material in an open fire by any person on premises operated as a public or semi-public refuse disposal facility or at other central refuse disposal sites. The director may also prohibit the burning of any material in an open fire by any person in connection with any salvage, industrial, commercial, or institutional operation.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 23-23-18

  • Director: means the director of environmental management or any subordinate or subordinates to whom he or she has delegated the powers and duties vested in him or her by this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-23-3
  • Open fire: means any fire from which the products of combustion are emitted directly into the open air without passing through a stack or chimney. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-23-3
  • Person: means an individual, trust, firm, joint stock company, corporation (including a quasi-governmental corporation), partnership, association, syndicate, municipality, municipal or state agency, fire district, club, non-profit agency or any subdivision, commission, department, bureau, agency, or department of state or federal government (including quasi-government corporation), or of any interstate body. See Rhode Island General Laws 23-23-3

(b)  Nothing in this chapter shall interfere with the right and responsibility of cities and towns to adopt and enforce laws, ordinances, rules, or regulations prohibiting open fires, except as provided in subsection (a).

(c)  It is the policy of the state that open fires shall be eliminated to the maximum extent possible. It is also the policy of the state that regulation of open fires shall be the responsibility of political subdivisions of the state. All cities and towns are empowered to prohibit open fires by ordinances or regulations except those open fires as described in subsection (a).

History of Section.
P.L. 1966, ch. 256, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 23-25-18; P.L. 1971, ch. 116, § 1; P.L. 1979, ch. 39, § 1.