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Can I have a bonfire
in my garden?
The Council has a green waste collection service covering most of
the borough and there are community recycling points at:
- Newport (Springfield Industrial Estate)
- Granville (Red Hill, off the A5)
- Ketley (New Whitchurch Drive, A5223)
- Halesfield (Halesfield 1)
If you must have a bonfire remember that smoke, smuts and smells
from bonfires are the subject of many complaints to the Council.
You shouldn't therefore have a bonfire in close proximity to your
neighbour's property. The occasional bonfire may be arranged with
your neighbour to not cause a problem but regular fires may be
regarded as a statutory nuisance and the council can take
action to stop this from happening.
Are there set times when I can have a bonfire?
No. If you
must burn waste it is best if you could:
- avoid evenings and weekends when people like to enjoy their
gardens;
- make sure that the wind direction does not blow the smoke
directly onto your neighbour's property;
- ensure that the material is dry and is fed slowly on to the
fire so that it burns with a good flame and doesn't smoulder;
- avoid damp, still days when smoke hangs in the air; and
- avoid times when your neighbour has washing hanging
out.
Are there any byelaws about having bonfires?
There are no byelaws about bonfires, but the Environmental
Protection Act 1990 applies. (See can I have a bonfire
above)
Smoke Control Areas:
Is my house in a Smokeless
Zone?
Smoke Control Areas cover the northern part of Telford from
Wellington to Donnington and Woodside, Little Dawley and Aqueduct
in the South.
Can I have a domestic bonfire in a Smokeless Zone?
Yes, but you should be aware of the precautions you need to take to
avoid causing nuisance to your neighbours. Smoke Control Orders
only cover smoke from house chimneys.
What fuel can I burn in a smoke control area?
In addition to gas fires you can burn solid smokeless fuel but only
in approved appliances. The commonly available wood burning stoves
are not approved. You should not use sticks and
paper to light the fire. Use only firelighters or a gas poker.
Speak to your coal merchant to choose the best fuel for your
appliance. if you live in a controlled area your coal merchant can
only deliver smokeless fuel to you.
Industrial Smoke:
Can I burn waste on my
property?
It is an absolute offence, subject to statutory defences, to emit
dark smoke from burning any trade or industrial waste. It is also
an offence to cause a statutory nuisance from smoke which is a
shade lighter than dark smoke. Some permits issued under the
Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales) Regulations
2000 (as amended) prohibit any burning of waste material on
site. Further advice can be obtained by
contacting Env. Health
Can I recover copper wire by burning insulation from
cable?
It is an absolute offence to carry out this operation unless you
have a permit issued by the Council under the Pollution Prevention
and Control (England and Wales) Regulations 2000 (as amended).
Further advice can be obtained by contacting Env. Health Industrial Boilers
and Furnaces
The Clean Air Act, 1993 controls smoke emissions, the installation
of furnaces and the height of chimneys.
- Subject to certain conditions, it is an offence to emit dark
smoke from industrial chimneys and from the burning of trade or
industrial waste in the open.
- Subject to certain exemptions, it is an offence to emit smoke
from any chimney in a smoke control area.
- The Council should be notified of the installation of all
non-domestic furnaces and they should be capable of operating
smoklessly.
- Furnaces which:
(a) burn pulverised fuel, or
(b) burn at a rate of 45.4 kg or more an hour any other
solid matter, or
(c) burn at a rate equivalent to 366.4 kW or more any
liquid or gaseous matter,
require Council approval of chimney height and arrestment
plant. |