Burning green waste on the job

[the hedge man]

Hi having been in the business for 8 years now there has been instances whereby the customer wants the best price I can possibly do. There are a number of options I offer each and every client when quoting for any job. One is taking waste away, one is chipping waste and leaving on site and another is popping hedge cuttings on their compost heap or bonfire.

 

Well to get to the point a job if was on yesterday they want the price screwing down the best I could and so I said ok, being out of the way I can leave the waste and you can do what you want with it. So while I was cutting they got a bonfire struck up and as I cut they cleared and put the waste straight on the fire.

 

My question is, is this allowed. I would imagine if I had taken the branches to the fire I would be in the wrong as in our industry I have to deal with the waste properly (I take mine to a registered composting site and everything I take is booked and charged monthly). Or do I have to say to the customer they can only burn when I have finished job?

[doobin]

So long as the arisings are burnt on the site they are produced, it's fine. EA D7 exemption.

 

http://arbtalk.co.uk/forum/general-chat/74363-legalities-burning.html

[woody paul]

They lite it there problem.

[Will Heal]

Far as I understand you can burn waste on site. I think farmers now need a licence to burn?

[Daniel Jiggins]

Providing they light and feed the fire no problem or exemption required if you are seen loading the fire then you must have a D7 exemption.

Had a nice council official pay us a visit earlier this year whilst on a job just make sure if you register an exemption you must de-register it once the work is complete.

You must not cause a nuisance with smoke if you do you could be made to put it out.

[theflyingscotsman]

Just mind and phone the FB HQ and inform them your doing controlled burning as well!!🔥🔥🔥🔥

[Andy Collins]

A statutory nuisance must not be caused, but likewise it has to be a reported nuisance. If it's not reported/recorded, it hasn't happened. I have many many fires on sites, I always check the wind direction, inform neighbours, check for washing before lighting etc. I've never rang the Fire Service and I've never had them come out yet. You can burn up to ten tonnes of green waste in any one day. Do not burn plastics, tyres or other that will produce black smoke, very bad. Yet there is a local chap who strips leccy wire and burns off the plastic, he's been fined once in maybe 15 years, he is operating illegally and causes a real nuisance to his neighbours, total fine was less than £1k, worth the risk you might say. He just ignores the law and enforcement agencies.

In the OPs case, he is not responsible for the fire, that's the clients responsibility, so I wouldn't even worry.

[theflyingscotsman]

If it's the clients responsibility even more reason to contact the FS that report controlled burning, if they are called out the client would be responsible for the full call out fee..

 

The fire service are busy enough I'm sure without getting called to a controlled fire. I'd heard the fee was in the region of £2500...

[Andy Collins]

Really? They charge for a controlled fire call out? I've never heard that one. I know two firefighters and they've never mentioned it. I know they charge for chimney fires, but that's it. Maybe a regional thing, firefighters are an emergency service, not a police service, they cannot enforce anything, only advise.

There is a lot of myth about what we can and can't do in this country, just get on with the job, be sensible and safe in the way you do it.

[theflyingscotsman]

Yeah if a neighbor calls and reports a fire..how do the FS know its controlled? Hence you could be made to pay the fee..unless you call them and inform them got going to happen.

 

I suppose too it's also professional and polite. I have my time wasted plenty by of people. I have no need or want to waste the emergency services time for the cost of a call.

 

It also covers your arse if you've got bad neighbors, who will call and complain.. You've done everything right and are within the law. So no one can halt your job.. So you get paid