The health implications of open leaf burning

Because leaf burning emissions contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds which have varying potential for causing cancer in animals; because carcinogenesis in one or more animal species creates a strong index of suspicion that the same chemical will be carcinogenic for humans; because safe levels for human exposure to chemical carcinogens cannot be predicted on the basis of animal or epidemiological data; and finally, because it is impossible to quantify the human risk of developing cancer to which leaf burning might contribute, it is both unwise and dangerous to permit the further contamination of the environment by chemical carcinogens from leaf burning emissions.