Burning Smell at Night in Las Terrenas

Will_Green

New member
Apr 25, 2013
9
0
0
I've spent the last few nights in Las Terrenas, and while the experience has generally been positive, I have noticed that there is a very strong burning smell at night. It lasts from approximately 8 PM to 8 AM, and seems to be present within a pretty large radius of my location.

Does anybody know what the source of the smell could be? Is it dangerous/harmful?
 
Dec 26, 2011
8,071
0
0
The burning smell comes from the burning of trash, paper, carcasses, plastic, dead foliage, etc. It can't be good for you. Welcome to one of the most beautiful and most abused places on earth.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
yes, depending on which way the wind is blowing you will sometimes get that smoke blowing right at you. The locals are burining trash or in some cases they burn the brush. It needs to be outlawed, but that is easier said than done. Sorry you are literally getting a bad taste in your mouth. I hope you don't judge the area by this.

LTSteve
 

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
1,546
0
36
There's nothing to compare to that burning smell before first cup of coffee in the morning. Just today I was welcomed by lovely smell of burning garbage. I hope they don't burn it through all day today.
 

Will_Green

New member
Apr 25, 2013
9
0
0
Thanks, guys. Is there anything that can be done about it short-term (protecting oneself from the smell) and long-term (having the local authorities address it in some way)?

The smell was so strong at night that I could barely breathe, and there were moments where it felt as if my eyes were burning. Why do they do this all night long, until the morning? Steve - the area is fantastic in other respects, but the smell makes the place literally unlivable (again, it lasted about 12 hours, non-stop). Anyone considering living in the area, buying a house here, renting property, or staying at a resort should be aware that this is happening.
 

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
1,546
0
36
Thanks, guys. Is there anything that can be done about it short-term (protecting oneself from the smell) and long-term (having the local authorities address it in some way)?

The smell was so strong at night that I could barely breathe, and there were moments where it felt as if my eyes were burning. Why do they do this all night long, until the morning? It makes the place literally unlivable. Anyone considering living in the area, buying a house here, renting property, or staying at a resort should be aware that this is happening.
Since its could be the city that is burning them. There is nothing you can do but just hope for them to burn them all quickly. My advise is find a cheap place for few days and return whenever they are done.
 

Will_Green

New member
Apr 25, 2013
9
0
0
Since its could be the city that is burning them. There is nothing you can do but just hope for them to burn them all quickly. My advise is find a cheap place for few days and return whenever they are done.

It would probably be unfeasible for me to move elsewhere at this point. Do they typically only do this for a few days? If it's the city doing this, is there a way to lobby them to take this business to a less densely populated area (I'm pretty much in the middle of the resorts/residences/restaurants)?
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,087
5,914
113
There is a government agency called Medio Ambiente that is supposed to be in charge of these things, but that would infer that the rule of law applies.
 

ctrob

Silver
Nov 9, 2006
5,591
781
113
There's nothing to compare to that burning smell before first cup of coffee in the morning. Just today I was welcomed by lovely smell of burning garbage. I hope they don't burn it through all day today.

I don't live there, and I know it's tough fighting city hall anywhere, but I really disagree. Complain often and loudly. They got all these new tourist honchos, complain to them.

Burning brush and old growth is one thing. You can almost put up with that. Kinda like the smell of burning leafs when I was a kid. The wonderful homey smells of autumn.

But you're probably breathing burning plastic. It couldn't be much worse. Those are carcinogens going into your lungs.
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
6,407
580
113
Santiago DR
I live within a 5 minute walk to the Monument and the burning smell was all night long..............

B in Santiago
 

Will_Green

New member
Apr 25, 2013
9
0
0
There is a government agency called Medio Ambiente that is supposed to be in charge of these things, but that would infer that the rule of law applies.

Thanks, windeguy. Sounds like it could be a good place to start! And as ctrob says, there are probably a few more agencies that can look into it. They may not want to do it, but if the foreigners start to complain, and there is a commensurate drop in income, they would have to start paying attention.
 

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
1,546
0
36
Thanks, windeguy. Sounds like it could be a good place to start! And as ctrob says, there are probably a few more agencies that can look into it. They may not want to do it, but if the foreigners start to complain, and there is a commensurate drop in income, they would have to start paying attention.
Do, tell me how it goes because I can't stand them burning the garbage. It's not just the people health here it's also about the complaint of BBQ smell coming our from the container we send couple of months ago. I sent the girls to complain but answer was "there's nothing they can do" was answers I got.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i feel sorry for you, guys. maybe i feel in a better area, maybe it is because POP has a big landfill (not all that far from where i am, btw) but in any case, no one burns trash here. occasionally local people burn whatever rubbish they collected under the transformer pole but before the smell hits the transformers blows up nicely and the fire is put down. no power for two days afterwards :) but they don't seem to learn...

i've seen few more threads on dr1 recently about trash burning. what is it about? is it more now?
 

dom

New member
Jun 1, 2011
270
0
0
the tradewinds kick in in the morning, and go down at night, the fires are not only at night, they just carried away by the wind ;)
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
23
38
Possiblly burning every other tourist. Locals love the Bar-b-Que. Stay in, lock your doors.

LTSteve
 

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
1,546
0
36

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
113
There is a government agency called Medio Ambiente that is supposed to be in charge of these things, but that would infer that the rule of law applies.
If a law isn't enforced does it even exist?