Liverpool City Councils Environmental Health team have recently received a number of complaints about burning on the allotments. We’d like to remind everyone that if you do burn, you must be considerate to our neighbours and other plot holders. Please don’t burn when it’s windy or burn large amounts of material all at once.
The following guidelines must always be followed –
The burning of debris is only allowed between 1st October and 31st March if the following precautions are taken on each occasion:
The only materials which should be put to the fire are diseased plant materials which it would be unsafe to compost or dry woody materials which it would not be possible to compost (We also have a shredder which can be hired).
If it is thought essential to put materials to a fire, then the following procedures must be followed.
The burning of debris is only allowed if the following precautions are taken on each occasion
1) Fires are to be in a cleared area at a distance of at least 10 metres from any property.
2) Fires are not to be left unattended at any time.
3) A suitable fire extinguishing appliance to be kept available for immediate use
4) Fires to be extinguished at least one hour prior to leaving the site
5) Wait for a wind free day. Smoke will be, or should be, carried straight up from the fire. It is thus less likely to constitute a Statutory nuisance.
6) Check that neighbours & plotholders are unlikely to be in their gardens or on their plots, and, especially, that there will not be clothing on a clothes line. Avoid in particular setting a fire at a weekend, or a public (bank) holiday.
7) Materials to be fired must be dry, so that gritty white smoke is less likely.
8) The following should never be put to the fire. Plastics, paint, carpet, roofing felt, rubber, linoleum, foam rubber from unwanted furniture. These will cause thick black smoke. Harmful gases or fumes, and particulates, might result. Black smoke constitutes Statutory Nuisance within the Environmental Health Act 1990.
10) If materials to be burnt have stood for some time before being fired, check for sleeping pets. In Autumn and Winter, check for hibernating hedgehogs.
11) Never use an accelerant – petrol, paraffin, methylated spirit, white spirit – to light or to encourage a fire.
If you are going to burn anything you must ensure that it will not cause a nuisance to any other Plotholders or neighbouring houses. (Also covered by clause 3t of the Tenancy Agreements).
If people continue to be inconsiderate when burning material, Liverpool City Council have stated that they will ban burning at all times on the allotments.