Bonfires and Dark Smoke
Every year we receive a large number of complaints about smoke
from bonfires and smouldering manure heaps causing a nuisance to
people in their homes or making use of their gardens.
We always try to encourage our residents to avoid burning their
waste by making use of our kerbside recycling collection, or using
the recycling centres for household waste. Or if it is lots of
garden waste to think about home composting.
Residents in the Rochford and Great Wakering areas of the
district can use the Recycling Centre for household waste which is
in Stock Road Southend. There is a small charge for using this site
but this charge is refundable. Please see our bonfire leaflet for
more details.
For further advice about bonfires please see our ‘Bonfires and
Smoke’ and ‘Dark Smoke’ leaflets (which you can view or download
from the related document section below) these explain the law and
give advice on how to avoid causing a nuisance.
Bonfires connected with commercial, business or trade
Commercial, business or trade premises are not allowed to burn
their waste, and this includes builders waste from the demolition
or refurbishment of a property or even land clearance in
preparation to build. For more information please see our
Commercial bonfires information sheet in the document below.
Burning waste on agricultural land- advice to Farmers
Under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010, if you are
a farmer that wants to burn waste produced on your land, you need
to apply for an exemption certificate issued by the Environment
Agency. The certificate called a D7 – ‘Burning waste in the open’
Exemption, covers the burning of materials produced on your own
land, such as log/branches from fallen trees; untreated timber from
fencing; the exemption does not allow waste to be brought on to the
land for the purpose of burning. D7 registration is free, to apply,
or for more information and guidance from the Environment Agency,
please see the link called ‘Agricultural Bonfires and burning’ in
the related links below.
What you should do if you are having problems with a
bonfire
In most circumstances the problem can easily be resolved by
politely telling the person about it, if they do not know it is a
problem then they cannot deal with it. If the problem continues,
you can register your complaint with us.
You can do this by completing our on-line form ‘make a complaint
about a bonfire’ using the link below.
Or if you require any further advice you may contact us by phone
on 01702 318111 and ask for the Environmental Protection Unit, or
e-mail customerservices@rochford.gov.uk
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