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Agency in recycling plea ahead of Bonfire Night

The Environment Agency has urged people to recycle unwanted wood and other materials rather than putting them on a bonfire.

Bonfire night
The statement encouraged residents to only visit public displays and take material to a HWRC instead (picture: Shutterstock)

In a warning today (1 November), the Agency said people should only burn clean, non-commercial waste like paper, untreated wood and cardboard.

The statement warned that while bonfires may be a traditional part of the festivities at this time of year, they could pose a “significant risk” to the climate.

Instead, the Agency said, residents should go to their local recycling centre to dispose of unwanted wood and other materials.

The burning of most types of waste is illegal as it causes pollution, the statement explained, and can carry a fine of up to £50,000.

‘Not an excuse’

Sam Pickard of the Agency said: “Bonfires are not to be used for a seasonal clear-out of your rubbish. It is not an excuse to get rid of difficult to dispose of rubbish by burning it yourself or asking others to do it for you.

Bonfires are not to be used for a seasonal clear-out of your rubbish

– Sam Pickard of the Environment Agency

“We want to encourage people to make sure they dispose of their waste legally and safely at their recycling centre or through their doorstep collections. And if you are responsible for a bonfire, when you are doing your checks for wildlife also look to see if anyone has added rubbish to your bonfire.”

Richard Coulson, chair of the Wood Recyclers Association, backed the call from the Agency, saying: “We would always support the hierarchy of reuse, recycle, recover, and, following the waste wood classification work we have been doing, we know it is even more important that certain types of waste don’t get burnt inappropriately, causing harm to the environment.”

Warnings

The Agency has published a string of warnings on bonfire night in the past. In November 2020, it issued a regulatory position statement running until January 2023, warning people not to burn wet wood as it creates more smoke (see letsrecycle.com story).

Bonfire night
The Agency encouraged people to take wood to a HWRC rather than use it for a bonfire

This RPS also outlines a number of measures that people burning wood at traditional events, such as Guy Fawkes Night, must take to operate without an Environmental Permit. These include not sourcing waste to burn from a waste management facility, not holding the bonfire near or at a waste site, and only burning appropriate materials.

In January 2020, the Agency also reiterated that people must not burn treated wood at bonfires (see letsrecycle.com story).

Environmentally friendly

The statement from the Environment Agency today also included a message from Torridge district councillor Philip Hackett, lead member for the environment, health, wellbeing and community safety, who said: “We recommend people attend an organised event instead of having their own bonfires, but if they decide to light their own fires they should make safety a priority and not burn any hazardous materials. Recycling is a much more environmentally friendly way of disposing of unwanted wood and other materials.”

PC Martin Beck, rural affairs officer with Devon & Cornwall Police, added: “We work closely with our partner agencies to keep our communities and environment safe and we need the public’s help, support and co-operation to do this.

“We want everyone to have a fun and safe bonfire night and fully support the message that the Environment Agency is sharing.”


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Taking place on 10 November at the Heart of England Conference Centre, Coventry, the Fire Conference 2021 will hear from regulators, the WISH Forum and insurance specialists as well as practical fire prevention case studies from operators.

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