Brush Pick Up...

The City of Galva provides a free brush pick up service to its residential customers. This service is provided on a bi-monthly basis as time permits.

To have your brush picked up, ensure that your brush pile does not exceed eight (8) feet in length, that it is neatly bundled and that it is placed parallel to the curb so that it may be scooped into one of our commercial buckets or moved with a fork lift.

Please keep in mind that although brush may include parts of trimmed trees, it does not include entire trees that have been taken down by you or a commercial tree removal service. If you are having a tree taken down, make sure that you or your contractor has provided for the disposal of the tree.

You may call City Hall at (309) 932 - 2555 for instructions on when and where to dispose of trees.

Open Burning...

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays Only!

“No person shall burn or cause to be burned any matter or substance in any area of the City zoned residential except as hereafter provided. Paper products, dry leaves and dry brush and tree trimmings may be burned in said residential area from sunrise to five o'clock (5:00) P.M. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Nothing herein shall prohibit cookouts.”

Prohibited Acts

  1. No person shall cause or allow open burning, except as provided herein or except in conformance with the rules of the Environmental Protection Agency
  2. No person shall cause or allow the burning of any refuse in any chamber or apparatus unless such chamber or apparatus is designed for the purpose of disposing of the class of refuse being burned
  3. It shall be unlawful to build or light any bonfire too close to any building or other structure as to endanger such building or structure or on any public street or sidewalk pavement

Burning With A Permit

The Environmental Protection Agency may grant permits for open burning in the following instances:
  1. For instruction in methods of fire fighting; for testing of equipment for extinguishing fires, flares and signals or experimental incinerators; or for research in control of fires
  2. For the destruction of vegetation on site under circumstances in which its removal would necessitate significant environmental damage
  3. For research or management in prairie or forest ecology
  4. For the destruction of landscape wastes; provided, that such burning shall not occur in residential areas, unless burning is conducted with the aid of an air-curtain destructor or comparable device to reduce emissions substantially; or within one thousand feet (1,000') of any residential or other populated area; or after July 1, 1972, except with the aid of an air-curtain destructor or comparable device to reduce contaminant emissions substantially
  5. For the destruction of oil sludges in petroleum production for safety reasons where alternative means including product recovery are impracticable; provided , that when emergency conditions require, such burning may be done without a permit, and a report shall be filed with the Agency within ten (10) days thereafter indicating the place and time of such burning, the quantities burned, the meteorological conditions and the reasons why emergency burning was necessary

Restrictions On Permits Issued By The EPA

  1. No permit shall be granted unless the applicant proves to the satisfaction of the Agency that the open burning is necessary to the public interest, will be conducted in such a time, place and manner as to minimize the emissions of air contaminants and will have no serious detrimental effect upon adjacent properties or the occupants thereof
  2. The Agency may impose such conditions in the permit as may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of the Environmental Protection Act

Certain Exemptions From Provisions

The following activities are not in violation unless they cause air pollution as defined in the Environmental Protection Act of the State of Illinois or by the City of Galva:

The open burning of agricultural waste, but only:

  1. On the premises on which such waste is generated
  2. In areas other than restricted areas
  3. When atmospheric conditions will readily dissipate contaminants
  4. If such burning does not create a visibility hazard on roadways, railroad tracks or air fields
  5. More than one thousand feet (1000') from residential or other populated areas
  6. When it can be affirmatively demonstrated that no economically reasonable alternative method of disposal is available

The open burning of domicile waste, but only:

  1. On the premises on which such waste is generated
  2. In areas other than restricted areas
  3. When atmospheric conditions will readily dissipate contaminants
  4. If such burning does not create a visibility hazard on roadways, railroad tracks or air fields

The setting of fires to combat or limit existing fires when reasonable necessary in the judgement of the responsible government official.

The burning of fuels for legitimate campfire, recreational and cooking purposes; in domestic fireplaces; and in that no garbage shall be burned in such cases.

The burning of waste gases; provided, that in cases of refineries, all such flares shall be equipped with smokeless tips of comparable devices to reduce pollution.

Small open flames for heating tar, welding, acetylene torches, highway safety flares and the like.

Special Provision For The Open Burning Of Explosive Wastes

Open burning of wastes creating a hazard of explosion, fire or other serious harm, unless authorized elsewhere, shall be permitted only upon application for and grant of a variance as provided by the Act of the State of Illinois and by chapter 1 of the Rules and Regulations of the Illinois Pollution Control Board.