Smoke, fumes and Gas
This can be a Statutory nuisance as defined under
section 79(1) of the Environmental Protection Act (EPA)
1990 as fumes or gases emitted from premises so as to be
prejudicial to health or a nuisance.
The term ‘prejudicial to health or a nuisance’ is something more
than mildly annoying and would need to either be injurious to
health or likely to cause injury to health, or interfere with the
normal use or enjoyment of property.
Where we are satisfied that a statutory nuisance
exists, or is likely to occur or recur, we will serve an
abatement notice.
Where any requirement of an abatement notice is ignored we
may
- Prosecute the person responsible for the contravention or
non-compliance
- Issue proceedings in the High Court to secure the abatement,
prohibition or restriction of the statutory nuisance
- Carry out whatever works or action is necessary to abate the
statutory nuisance and recover our reasonable costs in so
doing
To make a complaint please contact Environmental Quality
Bonfires
Bonfires are not illegal but if they cause an odour or dust
nuisance they can be dealt with under the Envirnmental Protection
Act. Alternatively a bonfire producing dark smoke (normally from
burning plastics) can be dealt with under the Clean Air Act
1993.
We can prosecute persistent offenders and can issue fines up to
£20,000 for commercial burning or up to £5,000 for residential
bonfires.
We have a no bonfire policy on our allotment sites and we
discourage domestic bonfires by promoting alternatives such as
composting and free collections of garden waste. Green Waste Collections are every two weeks
Open fireplaces
Clean Air Acts in the 1950's enabled local authorities to
declare smoke control areas within which the burning of coal, wood
or other non-authorised fuels on open fires was banned.
Please visit http://www.uksmokecontrolareas.co.uk/
for more information including a list of authorised fuels and
excepted fireplaces.
Chimney Heights
If you plan to install equipment to burn certain fuel types or a
minimum volume of matter, you will need to submit a Chimney Height Application
Form under the Clean Air Act 1993.