Department of Defense
INSTRUCTION
NUMBER 4715.19
February 15, 2011
Incorporating Change 4, October 6, 2017
USD(AT&L)
SUBJECT: Use of Open-Air Burn Pits in Contingency Operations
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE. This Instruction:
a. Converts Directive-Type Memorandum (DTM) 09-032 (Reference (a)) to a DoD
Instruction (DoDI) and cancels the DTM to implement section 317 of Public Law 111-84
(Reference (b)), in accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5134.01 (Reference (c)).
b. Establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures regarding the use of
open-air burn pits and the prohibition of the disposal of covered waste in open-air burn pits
during contingency operations, except in circumstances in which no alternative disposal method
is feasible.
2. APPLICABILITY. This Instruction applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD
Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the DoD (hereafter referred to
collectively as the “DoD Components”).
3. DEFINITIONS. See Glossary.
4. POLICY. It is DoD policy to:
a. Protect DoD personnel from accidental death, injury, occupational illness, and threats to
health.
