Paragraph 30 - Burning plant tissue waste on land in the
open
What the legislation says:
30. —(1) Burning waste on land in the open if–
(a) the waste consists of plant tissue;
(b) it is agricultural waste or it is produced on land which is
operational land of a railway, light railway, tramway, British
Waterways, or which is a forest, woodland, park, garden, verge,
landscaped area, sports ground, recreation ground, bank of an
inland waterway, churchyard or cemetery, or it is produced on other
land as a result of demolition work;
(c) it is burned on the land where it is produced; and (d) the
total quantity burned in any period of 24 hours does not exceed 10
tonnes.
(2) Sub paragraph (1) only applies to the burning of waste by an
establishment or undertaking where the waste burned is the
establishment or undertaking's own waste.
(3) The storage pending its burning, on the land where it is to
be burned, of waste which is to be burned in reliance upon the
exemption conferred by sub paragraph (1).
(4) The treatment of land for the benefit of agriculture or
ecological improvement by incorporation into soil of ash from waste
which is burned on that land in reliance upon the exemption
conferred by sub paragraph (1).
Registration Requirements:
Needs to be registered with SEPA but no fee is required.
This exemption can be registered online.
However, establishments and undertakings can still use the paper
form should they wish. This form should be sent to the Registrar at
your local SEPA area office (addresses are given on the form)
The following questions and answers are provided to help you
further understand this exemption:
Q. How long will the registration last? Will it require
renewal at any time?
A. The registration of this exemption is not time
limited but it can be de-registered by SEPA if it is not managed
properly and no longer fulfills the criteria requirements of the
exemption or if the activities cause pollution or harm to health.
If the activity does comply with the exemption criteria the
registration will not have to be renewed except where there is a
significant change to the activity.
Q. What can you do?
A. You can burn in the open, up to 10 tonnes per
day of plant tissue waste, provided the wastes are your own.
Q. What is meant by plant tissue waste?
A. Plant tissue waste is intended as a very broad
description of all materials of plant origin such as wood and
vegetation and may include engineered materials of this type
provided they are untreated.
Q. Who can do it?
A. Any establishment or undertaking who registers
a Paragraph 30 exemption.
Q. Where can you burn it?
A. At the place or places you identify when your
register the exemption which must also be one of the land types
listed and must also be the place where the waste was
generated.
Q. What types of waste can you burn?
A. The exemption allows the burning of untreated
wood, bark and plant matter provided it does not cause pollution or
a nuisance. The exemption does not allow any other waste type to be
burnt in the open. Paragraph 30 (3) NOTE: If the activity is
carried out in a way likely to cause a nuisance or the activity
involves burning in a designated Air Quality Management Area, this
exemption will not cover the activity. If the Local Authority
inform SEPA that a nuisance has been caused by the activity or that
the exemption is in an Air Quality Management Area SEPA can remove
the activity from the register.
Q. What can you do?
A. You can store waste that you intend to
burn.
Q. Where can I store it?
A. Only at the place where it will be burnt.