Advice - Fire in Back Garden

Razorfish

Just looking for some advice. I live in a 3 bedroom semi-d (owner). Tonight and last Saturday our neighbors (renters) next door set a (wood) fire in a big metal crucible in their back garden beside their back door. I really don't care what they do but (with windows closed) the back bedrooms have a bad smoky smell.

They stand around the fire and have a beer and in fairness they are quiet but the proximity of the fire to the house and smell is irritating. Was thinking of have a friendly word with them tomorrow. What do people think?

murphaph

Legitimate complaint but yes friendly word first and see their reaction. How big is the garden? Could they do it away from house without disturbing anyone?

Tigger

They had a barbecue ?
Are they new neighbours or have they lived there a while
They are renters I've heard that renters aren't like us ! Are they forgien you can tell by the cars. If they have cars that have bigger than 1.6l then they probably are.

The_Conductor

Under the Air Pollution Act of 1987, setting fires or burning refuse in residential areas is punishable a fine of up to €3,000 or 12 months in prison upon summary conviction in a district court. This was strengthened by the 2009 Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulation.

A call to your local council environmental health control officer, should sort any issues you're having.

Tigger

The_Conductor wrote: »

Under the Air Pollution Act of 1987, setting fires or burning refuse in residential areas is punishable a fine of up to €3,000 or 12 months in prison upon summary conviction in a district court. This was strengthened by the 2009 Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulation.

A call to your local council environmental health control officer, should sort any issues you're having.

It's a barbecue not rubbish burning

The_Conductor

Tigger wrote: »

It's a barbecue not rubbish burning

Wood fire in a large metal crucible with a bad smell. Could be dioxins or anything involved. A barbeque is a nice clean fire, its pure carbon- either as charcoal, or gas. It is not permitted to set wood fires. The OP can discuss this with their environmental health officer- who can decide one way or the other.

dharma200

Really.... Some people.....
Why not have a quiet word and suggest they burn charcoal in the future or something, a quiet word first might hold back on a neighbourly war by immediately calling the environmental officer..... Usually a nice freindly quiet word would be the first port of call...

Tigger

The_Conductor wrote: »

Wood fire in a large metal crucible with a bad smell. Could be dioxins or anything involved. A barbeque is a nice clean fire, its pure carbon- either as charcoal, or gas. It is not permitted to set wood fires. The OP can discuss this with their environmental health officer- who can decide one way or the other.

Where is the legislation that says wood is not allowed in a barbecue but charcoal (wood) is

igorbiscan

The_Conductor wrote: »

Wood fire in a large metal crucible with a bad smell. Could be dioxins or anything involved. A barbeque is a nice clean fire, its pure carbon- either as charcoal, or gas. It is not permitted to set wood fires. The OP can discuss this with their environmental health officer- who can decide one way or the other.

The op can have a nice friendly chat with the neighbour as should be normal without escalating everything ridicuosly.

Razorfish

Thanks for the comments. The fact that they rent is irrelevant. I mentioned it for context. It wasn't a BBQ. Just a crucible burning wood.

They have dogs which I have no issue with but their garden is very muddy as a result which means they can't have it in the middle of the garden. Last summer they did use it in the middle of the garden with no issues. I have a 3yr old child and burning so close to their and my house is the issue and the smell of smoke in the bedroom and kitchen last night (rooms at back of house/ windows closed) was very unpleasant and probably unhealthy. On a side note the embers from the open fire coated my garden furniture and deck with ash.

I'll have a word later and hopefully it'll be accepted.

djimi

Tigger wrote: »

Where is the legislation that says wood is not allowed in a barbecue but charcoal (wood) is

Bit of a difference between the smoke created by a BBQ and the smoke created from an open fire in fairness.

spockety

If burning fires is illegal, why do B+Q sell chimnea's and other fire pit type devices etc..

As to the OP, I'd have a friendly word with the neighbour, focusing in on the smell and ash on your property as opposed to your outright disdain... ask them to move it further back the garden.

Razorfish

Spockety, No outright disdain at all. Not sure how you read that from my posts. Just unpleasant for the house with windows closed to have a strong smelling of smoke.

Also mentioned in my earlier post when they burn't in the middle of the garden last summer, I had no problem with it. They can't burn in garden now as their dogs have made their garden very muddy but burning at the back door of a semi-d house is not a solution.

Waiting for main occupier to return and will have a friendly word (as also indicated earlier).

spatchco

Razorfish can understand how you feel i have neighbours 2 doors away who do not put out either bins in this case black or greens but burn it and the smell from the burning is at times sickening,and i have spoken to them and all i got was a shug of the shoulder and the reply that they wont pay for any bin collection,i live in dublin 11

handlemaster

The_Conductor wrote: »

Under the Air Pollution Act of 1987, setting fires or burning refuse in residential areas is punishable a fine of up to €3,000 or 12 months in prison upon summary conviction in a district court. This was strengthened by the 2009 Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulation.i

A call to your local council environmental health control officer, should sort any issues you're having.

I would say they could set fire to the house and the council wouldn't do anything about it. Sure you couldn't expect them to call out on the 9-5 never mind later in the evening

djimi

spockety wrote: »

If burning fires is illegal, why do B+Q sell chimnea's and other fire pit type devices etc...

Because not everyone lives in a housing estate. I grew up out in the countryside where it was perfectly fine to have a wood fire in our garden without bothering anyone.

murphaph

spatchco wrote: »

Razorfish can understand how you feel i have neighbours 2 doors away who do not put out either bins in this case black or greens but burn it and the smell from the burning is at times sickening,and i have spoken to them and all i got was a shug of the shoulder and the reply that they wont pay for any bin collection,i live in dublin 11

In your case you've tried the friendly word and they are in breach of regulations designed to make living beside each other bearable. I'd get a bit of evidence together there and get on to the environmental health officer in your local council. They could and probably are burning plastics and all sorts if it's to avoid refuse charges, You don't want to be breathing that in. Could well be carcinogenic.

Razorfish

Had a friendly word with the neighbors just now. They seemed receptive. Just mentioned unpleasant smoke smell. Will leave it now and monitor how things go. Thanks for all advice.

handlemaster

The_Conductor wrote: »

Under the Air Pollution Act of 1987, setting fires or burning refuse in residential areas is punishable a fine of up to €3,000 or 12 months in prison upon summary conviction in a district court. This was strengthened by the 2009 Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulation.i

A call to your local council environmental health control officer, should sort any issues you're having.

I would say they could set fire to the house and the council wouldn't do anything about it. Sure you couldn't expect them to call out on the 9-5 never mind later in the evening

Graces7

Call EPA the Environmental Protection Agency.. 24 hour helpline 1850 365 121

They can make the council act on pollution issues.

Teyla Emmagan

spatchco wrote: »

Razorfish can understand how you feel i have neighbours 2 doors away who do not put out either bins in this case black or greens but burn it and the smell from the burning is at times sickening,and i have spoken to them and all i got was a shug of the shoulder and the reply that they wont pay for any bin collection,i live in dublin 11

This is illegal and you should report them immediately. They could be letting all sorts of poison into the air. Also under new DCC by laws every householder must now be able to prove they are signed up to a waste disposal service. Ring the EPA and DCC and, for the month that's in it, your local councillors.

Graces7

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

This is illegal and you should report them immediately. They could be letting all sorts of poison into the air. Also under new DCC by laws every householder must now be able to prove they are signed up to a waste disposal service. Ring the EPA and DCC and, for the month that's in it, your local councillors.

Glad I don't live in Dublin... I have almost no rubbish; bottles jars and cans get recycled and I use paper and cardboard to light the fire. Vegetable scraps go on the compost heap and the dogs eat other scraps.

djimi

Graces7 wrote: »

Glad I don't live in Dublin... I have almost no rubbish; bottles jars and cans get recycled and I use paper and cardboard to light the fire. Vegetable scraps go on the compost heap and the dogs eat other scraps.

There are pay as you use systems available, which mean you pay per collection and recycling is free. I think it costs something like €50 a year for the service, but if its an obligation to have a waste management service then this is probably as good as it gets.

Graces7

djimi wrote: »

There are pay as you use systems available, which mean you pay per collection and recycling is free. I think it costs something like €50 a year for the service, but if its an obligation to have a waste management service then this is probably as good as it gets.

E 50 for nothing! When I was first in Ireland you could buy bags and that covered the cost. So that cost me nothing as I never bought one

I can kind of understand the sytem in a city but here in rural places.. Plenty of bring centres.. Mind you the amount folk dump out of car windows and on beaches is appalling and someone dumped an old armchair in the National Park.. ( Killarney)

Graces7

handlemaster wrote: »

I would say they could set fire to the house and the council wouldn't do anything about it. Sure you couldn't expect them to call out on the 9-5 never mind later in the evening

I

When I called EPA last week the council were here within 48 hours.

Teyla Emmagan

Graces7 wrote: »

Glad I don't live in Dublin... I have almost no rubbish; bottles jars and cans get recycled and I use paper and cardboard to light the fire. Vegetable scraps go on the compost heap and the dogs eat other scraps.

It is to prevent fly tipping. Anything that works IMO.

marie rosanna

The_Conductor wrote: »

Under the Air Pollution Act of 1987, setting fires or burning refuse in residential areas is punishable a fine of up to €3,000 or 12 months in prison upon summary conviction in a district court. This was strengthened by the 2009 Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulation.

A call to your local council environmental health control officer, should sort any issues you're having.

I thought they were burning wood, having a bar-b-que, and some warmth while having a quiet beer, there is a big difference to this than burning household rubbish. As far as I know there is no issue here. The same smell can be got when someone lights their coal fire initially, or throws some rubbish on their coal fire........

The_Conductor

marie rosanna wrote: »

I thought they were burning wood, having a bar-b-que, and some warmth while having a quiet beer, there is a big difference to this than burning household rubbish. As far as I know there is no issue here. The same smell can be got when someone lights their coal fire initially, or throws some rubbish on their coal fire........

According to the OP- its a wood fire in a crucible, close to a semi-detached house, with smoke going into the bedrooms of adjoining houses, and ash covering the garden and furniture of adjoining properties. Doesn't sound like a barbeque to me- but then everyone to themselves. Also the Air Pollution Act- does not deal exclusively with burning refuse- it covers setting inappropriate fires.

Graces7

marie rosanna wrote: »

I thought they were burning wood, having a bar-b-que, and some warmth while having a quiet beer, there is a big difference to this than burning household rubbish. As far as I know there is no issue here. The same smell can be got when someone lights their coal fire initially, or throws some rubbish on their coal fire........

I think this was re the other post re folk burning household rubbish in their garden...

marie rosanna

Hi Grace7. I am just getting the hang of using this forum. I was responding to razorfish post re: burning" wood" in the back garden. I do agree that burning household rubbish (outdoors) is illegal and unacceptable. As to burning wood, people do this sometimes when having bar-b-ques to flavour food. also i think if the burning of wood is done in a chimnea or a long funnel fire, this is not an issue. no debate on the household burning issue.

Graces7

marie rosanna wrote: »

Hi Grace7. I am just getting the hang of using this forum. I was responding to razorfish post re: burning" wood" in the back garden. I do agree that burning household rubbish (outdoors) is illegal and unacceptable. As to burning wood, people do this sometimes when having bar-b-ques to flavour food. also i think if the burning of wood is done in a chimnea or a long funnel fire, this is not an issue. no debate on the household burning issue.

it is OK; happens all the time but makes it easier if you hit QUOTE if you are replying to a particular post and often we forget.

Still burning wood so near someone's windows is not very considerate either.