Clare County Council has today issued guidance for the public on burning as figures released for the first half of 2010 show a 460% increase in the number of forest, bog and gorse fires attended by the Fire Service.
The local authority’s public information campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the dangers and legal implications surrounding both backyard burning and uncontrolled burning.
According to Mayor of Clare, Cllr. Christy Curtin: “The burning of waste (or backyard burning) threatens life, property and our environment. It is often mistakenly seen as a cheap method of managing waste and it is presumed not to be harmful to the environment, but nothing could be further from the truth”.
“The purpose of all the environmental legislation is to protect and prevent damage to our environment. We are all very proud of the Banner County, and we have a responsibility to protect our wonderful environment in Clare. I am urging you to say no to backyard burning and ensure any legal burning is done in a controlled manner as it is vital we don’t have a repeat of the record numbers of fires attended by the Fire Service in 2010”, added Mayor Curtin.
Some of the main points outlined on the Council website are:
- It is illegal to burn household or commercial/industrial waste, household green waste (e.g. hedging), electric cables for the recovery of copper, or to burn waste in bonfires.
- There is a temporary exemption until 1st January 2014 for waste generated by agricultural practices, but efforts must be first made to reduce, reuse, and recycle the waste and burning must only be considered as a final measure. Waste must be untreated and uncontaminated by other waste.
- Landowners must not burn vegetation between 1st March and 31st August each year as this is the bird nesting season (and this is enforced by National Parks & Wildlife Service).
- Landowners burning gorse, scrub, or vegetation must inform the Fire Service at least one day in advance on 999 or 112 providing details of the location, time and duration of burning.
- In addition, landowners burning within 1 mile of a woodland, must notify the local Garda Station and woodland owner in writing at least 7 days in advance.
- Where burning is to take place within a Special Area of Conservation or Natural Heritage Area, written consent must be sought in advance from the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Any burning of waste that causes pollution is likely to breach one or numerous Government Acts, in the areas of Waste Management, Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Forestry and Wildlife. Details of the laws in relation to burning, and additional guidance has been made available this week on the Council website at www.clarecoco.ie.
Robert Burns, Waste Enforcement Officer with Clare County Council commented: “A tremendous amount of work has been done to reduce the incidences of illegal burning, and the message is definitely getting through. Clare County Council has already taken successful prosecutions against offenders for illegal burning, and this should act as a clear warning for anyone who still mistakenly thinks it is acceptable to burn waste illegally”.
Adrian Kelly, Chief Fire Officer with Clare County Council added that it is incumbent on the Fire Service to protect life and property, and that uncontrolled burning can result in loss of life as well as damage to property.
He continued: “It is important that people familiarise themselves with the guidance on the various websites to ensure the necessary precautions are taken so that any legal burning is done in a controlled manner, and that a Fire Brigade is not turned out to a fire unnecessarily. Landowners should notify the Fire Service at least one day in advance of any intended burning and the local Garda must be notified in writing seven days in advance”.
If burning waste creates environmental damage, nuisance or gives rise to pollution, the advice is: do not burn. People are encouraged to read the 3-page guidance sheet on burning on the Council website, www.clarecoco.ie. The guidance also covers precautions to be taken when burning exempt agricultural waste. If after reading this guidance, you are still in doubt, please contact staff in the Environment & Water Services Directorate of Clare County Council on 065 6846331.
The local authority’s public information campaign is aimed at raising awareness of the dangers and legal implications surrounding both backyard burning and uncontrolled burning.
According to Mayor of Clare, Cllr. Christy Curtin: “The burning of waste (or backyard burning) threatens life, property and our environment. It is often mistakenly seen as a cheap method of managing waste and it is presumed not to be harmful to the environment, but nothing could be further from the truth”.
“The purpose of all the environmental legislation is to protect and prevent damage to our environment. We are all very proud of the Banner County, and we have a responsibility to protect our wonderful environment in Clare. I am urging you to say no to backyard burning and ensure any legal burning is done in a controlled manner as it is vital we don’t have a repeat of the record numbers of fires attended by the Fire Service in 2010”, added Mayor Curtin.
Some of the main points outlined on the Council website are:
- It is illegal to burn household or commercial/industrial waste, household green waste (e.g. hedging), electric cables for the recovery of copper, or to burn waste in bonfires.
- There is a temporary exemption until 1st January 2014 for waste generated by agricultural practices, but efforts must be first made to reduce, reuse, and recycle the waste and burning must only be considered as a final measure. Waste must be untreated and uncontaminated by other waste.
- Landowners must not burn vegetation between 1st March and 31st August each year as this is the bird nesting season (and this is enforced by National Parks & Wildlife Service).
- Landowners burning gorse, scrub, or vegetation must inform the Fire Service at least one day in advance on 999 or 112 providing details of the location, time and duration of burning.
- In addition, landowners burning within 1 mile of a woodland, must notify the local Garda Station and woodland owner in writing at least 7 days in advance.
- Where burning is to take place within a Special Area of Conservation or Natural Heritage Area, written consent must be sought in advance from the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Any burning of waste that causes pollution is likely to breach one or numerous Government Acts, in the areas of Waste Management, Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Forestry and Wildlife. Details of the laws in relation to burning, and additional guidance has been made available this week on the Council website at www.clarecoco.ie.
Robert Burns, Waste Enforcement Officer with Clare County Council commented: “A tremendous amount of work has been done to reduce the incidences of illegal burning, and the message is definitely getting through. Clare County Council has already taken successful prosecutions against offenders for illegal burning, and this should act as a clear warning for anyone who still mistakenly thinks it is acceptable to burn waste illegally”.
Adrian Kelly, Chief Fire Officer with Clare County Council added that it is incumbent on the Fire Service to protect life and property, and that uncontrolled burning can result in loss of life as well as damage to property.
He continued: “It is important that people familiarise themselves with the guidance on the various websites to ensure the necessary precautions are taken so that any legal burning is done in a controlled manner, and that a Fire Brigade is not turned out to a fire unnecessarily. Landowners should notify the Fire Service at least one day in advance of any intended burning and the local Garda must be notified in writing seven days in advance”.
If burning waste creates environmental damage, nuisance or gives rise to pollution, the advice is: do not burn. People are encouraged to read the 3-page guidance sheet on burning on the Council website, www.clarecoco.ie. The guidance also covers precautions to be taken when burning exempt agricultural waste. If after reading this guidance, you are still in doubt, please contact staff in the Environment & Water Services Directorate of Clare County Council on 065 6846331.
