Are garden bonfires legal in the UK, is there a time limit and can you be fined?
IT'S the burning question that can crop up for gardeners seeking a quick fix to their green waste dilemmas.
But is it legal to have a fire, and can you get fined? Here we get to a the bottom of this decidedly hot topic.
Are garden bonfires legal in the UK?
Technically, garden bonfires aren't actually illegal.
However, there are laws in place for the nuisance they can cause.
Burning domestic waste is strictly prohibited, as it will cause pollution or harm people's health.
Instead, you can dispose of household or garden waste by composting or recycling it.
Every local council is different on how they do this - check this link out on how to or about .
Is there a time limit?
There is no set time limit on having a bonfire, but there are times when it's more polite to have one - such as early morning or early evening, when you're least likely to annoy your neighbours.
A quick, hot fire also reduces smoke emissions.
Crucially, you have to make sure that the smoke from your bonfire doesn't blow across a road and cause danger to the traffic on it.
You also can't burn anything that could cause pollution or harm to public health - that includes plastic, rubber, old engine oil, and anything else that produces poisonous fumes.
You should only ever burn dry materials, and tell your neighbours in advance.
Burning green leaves also creates enormous amounts of smoke, so should be done in moderation.
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Can you be fined?
You could be fined if you light a fire and allow the smoke to drift across the road and become a danger to traffic.
Your council can issue an "abatement notice" if a neighbour’s bonfire is causing a nuisance - although it would have to happen frequently to be considered a nuisance.
You or your neighbour can then be fined up to £5,000 if they don’t follow the rules of the notice.
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