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Bonfires
Report environmental nuisanceIntroduction
Hastings Borough Council discourages the burning of household and garden waste. Bonfires can be anti-social, cause air pollution and affect people with heart conditions, asthma or bronchitis.
Burning plastic, rubber or painted materials creates noxious fumes that can give off a range of poisonous compounds. Smoke and ash from bonfires can cause annoyance for your neighbours and prevent them from using their garden, hanging out washing or opening windows.
Report
You can report nuisance bonfires using our online form at the top of the page.
The law
There are no specific byelaws prohibiting garden bonfires or the times at which they can be lit, however under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 smoke and ash from bonfires that affects your neighbours can be classed as a statutory nuisance.
See our Statutory Nuisance page for more information.
Depending on the severity, frequency and number of residents making complaints about a bonfire a council officer or Street Warden may visit to witness and offer advice. We may also write to the owner or occupier of the land informing them of the complaint and their responsibilities.
Where the council is satisfied that a statutory nuisance exists then formal action in the form of an abatement notice may be taken. If the situation persists it could lead to prosecution with a fine of up to £5,000, if found guilty.
Industrial or commercial waste emitting black smoke is dealt with separately under the Clean Air Act 1993.
Do's and Don'ts
If you are considering having a bonfire, it's a good idea to speak to neighbours about it first, as the smoke and fumes from a bonfire can be annoying.
You should not burn any waste that is likely to create excessive smoke or noxious fumes and it is illegal to dispose of waste not from your property, either from your workplace or from a neighbour.
If you have a large amount of garden waste to burn and you are considering doing so over several days you should be aware that one of the measurements for identifying a statutory nuisance is frequency and if complaints are received by the council we may be required to take action as outlined previously.
The council operates a garden waste collection service which may be beneficial if you have large quantities of garden waste. View more information on the council's garden waste collection service.
Alternatively, Hastings residents can utilise the services of the Hastings household waste and recycling site off of Bexhill Road to dispose of various types of waste including green garden waste.
How do I complain?
If you are bothered by smoke from a bonfire it might be advisable to approach your neighbour, as they may not be aware of the problems they are causing. If this fails the Environmental Health team should be notified. You should also inform us immediately if a neighbour or business is burning plastic, rubber or painted materials.
You can report a nuisance bonfire by completing our online form.
Smoke from a bonfire that is allowed to drift across a road can lead to a fine under section 161A of the Highways Act 1980, if it endangers traffic or causes injury. You should contact the Police by email or on 101 if this is the case.
Related pages...
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Pollution
Actions
- Report rubbish accumulation on private land
- Report asbestos
- Make a noise complaint
- Report a blocked drain (below ground)
- Report Pollution - Bonfire Odour Lighting or Dust
Contact
Contact us if you have a question about environmental health.
Comments
The content on this page is the responsibility of our Environmental Health team.