Environmental Health

Bonfires

Bonfires - Environmentally damaging and anti-social

Milton Keynes Council actively discourages bonfires whether they are in gardens, on allotments or demolition/construction sites. The council's number one priority is to "Improve the quality of the environment". Bonfires have a seriously detrimental effect on health and the wider environment. It is not possible to have a bonfire, of any sort, without it causing air pollution and releasing toxic chemicals into the environment. Unless you live in a very rural area with no immediate neighbours the toxic fumes from any bonfire you light will affect other people and will almost certainly constitute a Statutory Nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 on the grounds that the fumes are "injurious to health".

What is wrong with bonfires? Garden Bonfire

bonfires are anti-social sources of pollution and a serious health hazard
burning garden or allotment waste is completely unnecessary and produces large amounts of smoke, especially if it is damp and smoulders, smoke is both toxic and causes annoyance to others
the smoke particles, dioxins and other toxic compounds produced by bonfires are a significant contribution to air pollution
wood smoke contains over 200 chemicals, many of which are toxic; such as dioxins, carbon monoxide, a whole range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), aldehydes, phenols, cresols, nitrogen oxides, sulpur oxides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and ultra-fine particulate matter (microscopic dust) which is inhaled deep into the lungs; cancer causing compounds in woodsmoke include benzopyrenes, dibenzanthracenes and dibenzocarbazoles
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the cancer risk from woodsmoke is 12 times greater than from equal amounts of tobacco smoke, and that is from burning 'clean' untreated wood (see Washington State Department of Ecology Health Effects of Woodsmoke)
burning treated or painted wood, plastic, rubber etc. not only makes the smoke even more unpleasant but also produces an even greater range of highly toxic and carcinogenic compounds
burning demolition or construction waste contravenes waste disposal regulations and is "illegal disposal of trade waste"
bonfires can have a particularly seriously detrimental effect on health for asthmatics, bronchitis sufferers, people with heart conditions and children
bonfires cause annoyance to neighbours and may be a Statutory Nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990
the smoke, soot and smell from bonfires are the subject of many nuisance complaints to the council
smoke prevents your neighbours from enjoying their gardens, opening windows or hanging washing out, and reduces visibility in the neighbourhood and on roads
anyone lighting a fire and allowing smoke to drift across a road commits an offence under the Highways Act 1980 if it reduces visibility for road traffic
any bonfire is a health and safety risk
fire can spread to fences or buildings and some cans are an explosion hazard when rubbish is burned
bonfires are frequent, and needless, causes of admissions to hospital casualty departments
bonfires often require the attendance of the Fire & Rescue Service which is an waste of their time & resources and may delay them in dealing with more serious emergencies
piles of garden waste are often used as a refuge by animals, so look out for hibernating wildlife and sleeping pets