Members of the Public:
Please Note: UNLESS AUTHORISED,IT IS AN OFFENCE FOR ANY PERSON TO DISPOSE OF WASTE BY BURNING.
Fines of up to €5,000 may be imposed on individuals upon conviction in the District Court.
Regulations that specifically prohibit the disposal of household and commercial waste by uncontrolled burning, (so-called "Backyard Burning") were signed into law on the 27th July, 2009. The Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009 explicitly make the disposal of waste by uncontrolled burning (including any such burning occurring in a domestic fireplace) an offence under both the Air Pollution Act, 1987 and the Waste Management Act, 1996 as amended.
However, the regulations contain an exemption that permits farmers, under specific circumstances, to dispose of certain forms of agricultural waste by burning, until 1st January 2023. All such activities require a statutory notice provided by the relevant local authority. An application form can be downloaded here.