The burning of waste is an offence under the following legislation:

 

Burning of waste involves low temperature fires which receive little oxygen and as a result produce significant volumes of polluting smoke. Such burning can release noxious and toxic pollutants that can be inhaled by the public causing potentially adverse health impacts.

The illegal burning of waste can cover a range of scenarios including:

  • Householders that burn waste outside at their own premises also known as ‘backyard burning’.
  • Burning of cut tree limbs, hedge clippings or other green waste resulting from landscaping/gardening works.
  • Burning of waste from construction sites such as waste plastics and cardboard.
  • Burning of waste at commercial/industrial facilities.
  • Burning of household waste in open fires, other solid fuel appliances within the home.

 

Again it is important to realise that the burning of any waste arising from routine activities is an illegal practice, and is damaging to both human health and the environment.

Managing Household Green waste

There are other means of dealing with household green waste such as hedge clippings, tree branches, etc. Garden shredders may be used and the shredded material could be used as mulch or mixed with compost. Alternatively, householders may bring their green waste (e.g. hedge clippings, grass cuttings, Christmas trees, etc.) to either the Carrickmacross or Scotch Corner Civic Amenity Sites.

Managing Agricultural Green Waste

In recent years, a temporary exemption was available to farmers who were permitted to burn certain agricultural green waste in controlled circumstances, However, the practice of burning agricultural green waste is no longer permitted since the expiry of the final exemption on 30th of November 2023.

 

For alternative options to burning please see information in links below:

Consequently, Farmers must now adopt alternative sustainable management practices for the management of agricultural green waste which:

  • Improve air quality and human health
  • Better utilise material for sustainable alternative use
  • Enhance and promote biodiversity

 

 

In November 2022, the Irish Bioenergy Association on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine developed a feasibility study on the sustainable management of agricultural green waste in Ireland. This report outlines many sustainable alternatives to burning which farmers are permitted to      use, including:

  • Use of flailing and return the cut material to the ground in-situ
  • Establish a nature pile/biodiversity habitat corner allowing the material to decompose over time
  • Produce sustainable wood fuel for own heating use on-farm
  • Composting of the material on-farm
  • Off-farm energy generation from high quality, large volume, uncontaminated material
  • Use of the material for animal bedding
  • Produce landscaping material
  • Biochar production

 

The full feasibility study to explore the sustainable management of

Click here for link to DAFM  feasibility study on the sustainable management of agricultural green waste in Ireland.

Further information

If you are concerned that the burning waste is causing a nuisance or is causing pollution in your locality or if you have any questions or queries then please get in touch using the details below.

  • Tel: 042 9661240Top of Form

Any queries in relation to the enforcement of the Wildlife Act, 1976, as amended, should be directed to the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service.