The burning of waste is illegal and the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009 clearly set out the law whereby no waste may be disposed of by burning within your house or even in your garden. The use of waste burners is also illegal. Incidents of burning of waste will be investigated by the Waste Enforcement Team and may lead to prosecution.
Burning of waste includes the following activities:
- Backyard Burning – this is where householders and businesses burn their wastes either on the ground, in a barrel or a mini waste burner/furnace.
- Burning of hedge cuttings – this relates to wastes arising from agricultural and landscaping activities where only bushes/hedges, branches are burned.
- Bonfires – this is an outdoor fire. Many people enjoy bonfires and they have become a traditional part of Halloween. While some people use only wood and suitable materials for their bonfire, in many cases bonfires are used to burn wastes such as furniture, tyres and other wastes.
Agricultural Burning
The controlled burning of uncontaminated wood, trees, tree trimmings and brush generated in agricultural clearing, ceased on 30th November 2023. from that date it is an offense to burn agricultural waste from hedge cutting on agricultural land.
The following waste hierarchy, should be applied.
1. Reduction of waste arising in accordance with best agricultural practice.
2. Reuse of waste where practicable.
3. Recycling of waste through shredding and use as compost or wood chippings, where practicable.
4. Salvage of waste for use as fuel, where practicable.
5. Burial of the waste.