Public Health Fact Sheets

Bonfires

Bonfires have been a way of getting rid of domestic and garden waste for many years.

However problems associated with bonfire smoke have increased, and are the cause of many complaints. With more plastics now being used in the home and garden, toxic fumes can be emitted unless great care is taken with the contents of a bonfire.

Bonfires can be very annoying to neighbours. Smoke prevents neighbours from enjoying their gardens, opening windows or hanging washing out.

There are no byelaws specifically banning bonfires or controlling the times they can be burned. But they can cause a breach of the statute of nuisance, especially in built-up areas. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, a statutory nuisance includes 'smoke, fumes or gases emitted from premises so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance'.

To qualify as a nuisance, a bonfire has to be a regularly recurring problem and must interfere substantially with nearby residents' well-being, comfort or enjoyment of their property.

Apart from unpleasantness caused by smoke, flying ash and the smell, bonfires can be a serious health hazard by producing toxic fumes if materials such as plastics, paint, foam or rubber are burned. They can also be a fire danger to fences and sheds during dry weather.

If you are bothered by persistent bonfire smoke, try contacting the person responsible and explaining the problem caused for you. This may be enough to resolve the matter. If this approach fails, you can contact us and we may be able to take action against someone if they are persistently causing nuisance or a health risk by bonfires.

It will not be sufficient if the bonfire occurs only occasionally, or if you are troubled by a series of bonfires lit by different neighbours who each only light a fire infrequently.

We recommend residents try alternative means of disposing of garden and kitchen waste. Alternative methods include composting and recycling which are far less damaging to the environment. Most garden and kitchen waste can be recycled into compost. Rather than burning garden waste or putting food in the dustbin where it will end up buried or incinerated, a compost bin will produce a useful soil conditioner.

Any large items of furniture or household appliances can be collected free of charge by calling Barking and Dagenham Direct on 020 8215 3000. All they ask is that you put the item out in front of your property the day before the agreed collection date.

Bonfire guidelines

If you must have a bonfire please follow these guidelines
Have as few bonfires as possible and try to tell your neighbours when you intend to light it
Do not light a bonfire if your neighbours' are in their garden, have windows open or if they have washing hanging out
If you light a bonfire make sure the material you are going to burn is dry. This will reduce the amount of smoke produced
Do not light a fire when it is very windy, as this will cause the smoke to travel in to your neighbours' gardens and properties. Do not let smoke blow across a road
Burn everything quickly in small piles. A quick hot fire will produce only the minimum amount of smoke
Position bonfires away from buildings, garden sheds and hedges
Keep children away from a bonfire
Never leave a fire unattended. Have plenty of water ready
Put bonfires out with either water or soil. Never leave a fire to smolder
Remember, heaps of garden refuse provides a haven for small animals. Check before you put it on the bonfire
Never add household rubbish, oil rags, rubber, plastics, aerosols or any other material that may create toxic fumes