Domestic bonfires are not illegal; however, they can be a source of considerable annoyance and are an unpleasant and potentially dangerous source of pollution.

The Council strongly advises that you consider alternative means of disposing of your waste via:

• food, paper, card, plastics and glass recycling, collected weekly in your recycling boxes
• the Council’s Garden Waste Service
• composting at home - for garden and raw kitchen waste
• Reuse and Recycling Centres for any other waste

If you are still considering having a bonfire please ensure it does not cause a nuisance to other residents. If your bonfire is deemed to constitute a Statutory Nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 a notice may be served on you. An offence under this legislation could lead to a fine of up to £5,000.

Complaining about bonfires

If smoke from someone else’s bonfires is disturbing you and your approaches to get the matter resolved have met with no success, you can make a complaint by completing the air pollution form.

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