What is the "Burn Voyage" to bonfires campaign?
The "Burn Voyage" to bonfires campaign's intention is to:
- Raise awareness of the environmental and nuisance impacts from burning waste.
- Raise awareness of the legal responsibilities from handling and disposing of waste and the legal penalties if this done incorrectly.
- Target specific commercial sectors to ensure they are disposing of their waste legally and not burning it.
The burning of waste is not an acceptable or safe way of disposal. As well as being a health hazard and harmful to the environment, it is a nuisance which may result in criminal prosecution and substantial fines.
This information leaflet outlines the legal position on the burning of waste and the appropriate bodies to contact if you believe waste is being burnt.
These posters outline the impacts of
- Air Pollution
- Smoke Nuisance
- Contaminated Land and Water
- The Impact of Garden Bonfires
How to report the burning of waste
If you are bothered by smoke/odour - first approach the business or neighbour and advise them of the problem. If this fails, then contact the Council's Environmental Health team on
- Tel: 01353 665555
- You can also complete a report form on our website
- In some circumstances you may be advised to contact the Environment Agency Incident hotline 0800 807060
Alternatives to burning
For information on the alternatives to burning, please visit our waste reduction and recycling web pages
If you decide to have someone collect and dispose of your waste:
- They must be a licensed waste carrier
- You must have filled in a form commonly known as a Duty of Care with your chosen contractor
- You can check with the Environment Agency that your contractor is licensed
You are committing an offence and can be prosecuted if you give your waste to anyone who is not licensed to carry and dispose of controlled waste.