HOLLYWOOD, Md. – The St. Mary’s County Health Department (SMCHD) has been notified that a large, smoldering mulch pile located near Lawrence Hayden Rd/Huckleberry Way may be contributing to smoke in the Hollywood area. Under current weather conditions, smoke may be more noticeable or persist for longer periods than expected and compromise air quality.
Sensitive groups should take special precautions as they may be at higher risk for health effects from poor air quality. These include people with heart or lung diseases (such as asthma), older adults, children, and pregnant persons; as well as those with increased exposure to outdoor air, including people experiencing homelessness, those who work or exercise outdoors, and those who do not have weather-tight housing.
SMCHD encourages the following precautions during times of poor air quality:
- Limit time outdoors, especially for sensitive groups
- Some outdoor air may come into indoor environments – try to avoid activities that can further worsen the indoor air quality (such as smoking, using candles or a gas stove, and vacuuming)
- Run your HVAC system or room air cleaners with a high-efficiency filter
- Consider using an N95 or KN95 mask when outdoors and recirculate the air in your vehicle
- Check on your neighbors, family, and friends who may be more vulnerable to poor air quality
Free KN95 masks are available for pick-up at the St. Mary’s County Health Department main office in Leonardtown during business hours (as supply allows).
Thanks for the alert. There have been more burn days at this location lately that contaminates our air. The smell is awful and not what I desire in beautiful southern Maryland. There are many “gravel trucks” full of unknown contents driving back into this private land. We can smell the burning/chemical smell almost every day. Thanks for the masks to help keep us safe from the toxins. It would be best to just stop the burning noxious items in very close proximity to family homes.
Everyone please call 410-537-3215 and report this air quality issue to the state about the known and alleged “permitted” burns happening 24/7 off Lawrence Hayden. This is ridiculous and nothing more than an unethical attempt to dodge costs and policies to legally dump construction waste through appropriate channels…instead the good ol’ boys of St. Mary’s county, particularly these two businesses are dumping at their friend or loved ones property for them to burn the content dumped and for our homes and airways to be impacted as a result.