Donegal County Council is reminding householders and businesses that the burning of waste often known as “Backyard Burning’ is illegal.
Backyard burning is the uncontrolled burning of waste, which is frequently carried out in backyards in a barrel or open pile, or even waste burned in open fires, ranges or other solid fuel appliances.
It also applies to burning waste in a ‘home or garden incinerator’ that are frequently advertised. This activity in any of these situations is illegal.
Backyard Burning is illegal and is an offence under the Waste Management Act 1996-2008, the Air Pollution Act 1987, and the Waste Management (Prohibitions of Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009.
Bonfires
It is also an offence for householders or businesses to supply waste materials to parties collecting materials for ‘Bonfire Night’, and, it is illegal to give waste to a person that does not have a waste collection permit.
Donegal County Council is currently undertaking an audit of certain businesses to ensure that there is compliance under the relevant legislation and to ensure that waste materials are not supplied for the practice of burning on bonfires.
While traditionally wood and straw were used on bonfires in recent times materials such as tyres, mattresses, furniture, plastics, metal etc are burned on bonfires. Providing waste material for burning on a bonfire is a committing a criminal offence.
The burning of waste is not only harmful to the environment but it is also harmful to our health. When waste materials are burned on a bonfire or in a backyard environment harmful dioxins are created and released into the air that we breathe.
Exemptions
There are some exemptions under the regulations where burning is permissible. These are only in the case of some agricultural wastes namely uncontaminated (free of dangerous substances, preservations, or other artificial impregnation or coating) wood, trees, tree trimmings, leaves, brush, or other similar waste generated by agricultural practices. The disposal of these permitted wastes by burning are permitted provided the farmer looks at all other reasonable options before burning and gives advance notice to the Local Authority before burning.