Bonfire Materials Removal

Burning of waste in bonfires at Halloween and other times of the year is an offence.

Halloween or bonfires

Appropriate alternatives to dispose of domestic/commercial green waste greenery waste such as hedge clippings, tree branches, etc. from Households, golf courses and commercial premises can be disposed of through the use of shredders. The shredded material could be used as mulch or mixed with compost.

Alternatively, householders may bring their green waste for example:

• hedge clippings
• grass cuttings
• Christmas trees and so forth

to Council operated Civic Amenity Sites or private waste facilities.

Burning of waste is illegal

The burning of waste is an offence under the following legislation:

• The Waste Management Act 1996, as amended,
• The Air Pollution Act,
• The Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009 S.I. No. 286/2009
• The Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 S.I. No. 51/2022
• The Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning)(Amendment) Regulations 2023 S.I. No. 16/2023

The main points of the legislation are that:

• It is an offence to burn any type of waste (material that is being discarded) this includes Garden Waste (hedge trimmings/grass cuttings etc.).
• The use of devices/containers such as Skips, Barrels and/or "domestic waste incinerators" to burn waste is an offence.
• It is an offence to burn household waste by use of stoves or open fires.

Further information

Reports in relation bonfire materials can be made to the environment section by emailing environadmin@laoiscoco.ie or phone us on 059 913 6231