Should residential bonfires be banned?

[Buzzy]

I have had several incidents where neighbours have burnt large fires for prolonged periods during the day.
Mostly they burn things that need not be burnt or worse still toxic substances. It seems that anyone who burns a fire does so irresponsibly, without thinking of neighbours washing out, time to enjoy in your own garden, having to resort to closing all windows and doors, burning plastics and evergreen material which is quite toxic.
I am fed up with being the one to complain about others inconsiderate actions. So what can be done?

[mh68]

Got the same problem here Buzzy.Despite the local council not allowing garden fires any more one household insists on burning anything they can lay their hands on every day or night.Not much you can do apart from report them, unless you confront those involved about your concerns.

Mark H

[Brocker]

Most concils now have a nuisance department in the Environmental Office. If your area is classified as a smoke free zone then these fires are classed as a nuisance and the council has an obligation to act on it within 72 hours. . . My previous council were excellent at dealing with this type of thing however my existing council are useless. I guess it depends on them but give them a call and you may be lucky.

[Buzzy]

Hi Mark
I have before confronted the persons concerned but although they do it less they still do usually during a fine day when you are in the garden. The local council don't seem too concerned by it, saying I should make a note of when and how long for. I am not in a smoke free zone. But unless it is a nuisance quite regularly they don't do much. I don't see what people have to burn I never burn a fire all my garden waste is either composted by me or the local council. Any other wasted products can be taken down the local refuse centre.
I know I'm moaning a bit but it is a subject that infuriates me whenever I think about it.
Buzz

[mh68]

If thats the case, maybe having a word with some of your other neighbours to see if theyre as concerned as you,and a few of you having a word - not a lynching or anything but the offending neighbour may reconsider if they realise how unpopular what theyre doing is,and that its not just the one person unhappy about them burning rubbish.

Mark H

[Brocker]

Good call Mark

[honeybee]

I thought you could only have a bonfire on a Sunday or in the evening by law. Take photos and report it to envi health with as much detail as possible, times etc. You should have the right to breathe fresh air.

[mh68]

Originally Posted by honeybee

I thought you could only have a bonfire on a Sunday or in the evening by law. Take photos and report it to envi health with as much detail as possible, times etc. You should have the right to breathe fresh air.

Around here it used to be after 7pm, until they stopped garden bonfires completely,but I guess all councils have different regulations.

Mark H

[Buzzy]

I live on the edge of a village and there are only a few immediately affected. So pressure by numbers is not possible, unfortunately.
I wish all councils would ban them in all areas. I want to be able to enjoy my outside space. To me a garden is so important to feel connected to nature and if I am forced indoors then where is my quality of life gone!?
I'm sure I'm not alone in this predicament.

[Pigeon feather]

Originally Posted by Buzzy

I live on the edge of a village and there are only a few immediately affected. So pressure by numbers is not possible, unfortunately.
I wish all councils would ban them in all areas. I want to be able to enjoy my outside space. To me a garden is so important to feel connected to nature and if I am forced indoors then where is my quality of life gone!?
I'm sure I'm not alone in this predicament.

No you are definately not alone and I completely agree with you, my neighbours three gardens along regularly burn things in their garden and I am constantly having to close my windows due to the smell of burning everywhere in the house, it's horrible
It's not good when I have washing hanging outside either as it is tainted by the smell of burning! It's amazing how inconsiderate some people are. I would contact the local council but we are moving in a few weeks, thank god!

[Buzzy]

Thanks pigeon feather
I am not so fortunate to be able to move
Maybe if I could I'd choose a little island somewhere with no other human inhabitants. Because knowing my luck i'd move somewhere even worse than where I am now.
Good luck with your move

[MalcolmX]

when i was young i had an allotment and on sunday morning a few of the allotment holders used to light up bonfires mostly in the winter to me the smell of these fires is one of my favorite memories . i can understand the irritation when people burn all manor of items but on the allotment site it seemed ok .i have the occasional bonfire but not in the summer and mostly on a winters evening i do have a bonfire on nov 5 with fireworks .i think there is a place for the odd garden fire but not in the summer and not every week end

[Buzzy]

Just a thought
I wonder if there are any organisations with figures on how much damage, as an air pollutant, a household bonfire can do. I guess it depends on what is being burnt and for how long. Does any one know who will hold information on precisely what evevergreens are toxic and to what extent? How much of our garden refuse is safe to burn, without putting harmful pollutants into the air?

[Marliza]

Hi Buzzy,

I agree that it's very annoying to have inconsiderate neighbours lighting bonfires during the daytime and I've often had to stop gardening or bring in my laundry from the line or shut all the windows to keep my neighbours' bonfire smoke out, but I wouldn't want to see garden bonfires banned completely.

Very occasionally we find it necessary to burn garden rubbish on winter evenings, as our Council won't collect large branches. They do collect prunings and leaves in a wheelie bin every fortnight, but not the larger stuff that we take off our trees every year.

I have asked our Council about bonfire regulations and been told that there are none that apply in this area. Local farmers burn stubble in their fields, so there'd be a problem with them if the Council banned fires.

As with most things in life, if people behaved reasonably and only burnt wood, leaves, etc, at dusk or later during the autumn and winter, it wouldn't cause so many problems, but many people these days just don't consider anyone else and carry on regardless of any inconvenience they cause.

It's just human nature!

Marliza

P S I agree with you about the island. Everywhere we move to, the 'spoilers' arrive not long after us.

[paulchandler6]

Originally Posted by Marliza

I have asked our Council about bonfire regulations and been told that there are none that apply in this area. Local farmers burn stubble in their fields, so there'd be a problem with them if the Council banned fires.

I thought stubble burning had been banned? At least it has been here for several years now.
I had a situation with a neighbour a couple of years back who constantly lit bonfires that burned for several days. I wrote to the local council who sent them a letter under an environmental health act telling them to stop burning rubbish or they would be prosecuted. Are local authorities different in the way they approach this?

Paul

[naturelover]

tell me why they have bonfires when there are recycle bins,i recycle all i can,but what makes me laugh is we all well most of us recycle just to buy it back again as compost funny what,whos the idiots.

[paulchandler6]

Originally Posted by naturelover

tell me why they have bonfires when there are recycle bins,i recycle all i can,but what makes me laugh is we all well most of us recycle just to buy it back again as compost funny what,whos the idiots.

Exactly that! When there are so many recycling systems around today we dont really need to burn anything. Maybe some areas are less fortunate?

Paul

[naturelover]

no some are too lazy.

[mh68]

All councils appear to be different Paul.Here, we have to pay for a brown recycling bin, yet my parents a few miles away - under a different council - get theirs free....crazy Obviously some people begrudge paying for a bin so burn waste instead.

Mark H

[naturelover]

never heard of having to buy their bins unless they get dammaged,always been free in essex and cambridgeshire,thought thats what the council tax is for things like that.

[mh68]

We get blue recycling bins and the standard household waste bins free.The brown garden waste bins are (i think) 18 quid a year.On top of this, the council will only take away certain large household items free (furniture/old beds) but other stuff its a 25 quid fee to get it removed.And then they complain about fly-tipping!

Mark H

[paulchandler6]

Fly tipping is a problem around here mainly from "the building trade". I say that loosely as most builders appear to be responsible.
It may be down to DIY'rs.
We have to pay for large items to be taken away here, but the rest is not a problem. Maybe some councils need to recalculate the costs of clearing up the environment and what they charge for recycling facilities.

Paul

[mh68]

Round here its old tv`s, fridges, bedframes and carpets.A walk along any quiet country lane around Cramlington will see several of the above items

Mark H

[naturelover]

i must say cambridgeshire is quite clean,what i have seen in two years anyway,they even sweep up the leaves on the paths and gutters which i think is good,because we didnt get that in chelmsford.

[ron1863]

We have a farm lane at the side of our house where flytippers dump rubbish on a weekly basis, everything from fridges to mattresses, which the council clear about once a month. The sad part is that there is a free refuse point a mile away that people are too lazy to use. It would actually be easier to use the collection point as the farmers lane is potholed and about a mile long.