There has been a significant reduction in the number of bonfires over recent years however, Donegal County Council is currently monitoring a number of locations where waste materials have been supplied as bonfire material over the past number of years.

 Suzanne Bogan, Waste Awareness Officer with the Council explained that while traditionally wood and straw were used on bonfires in recent times materials such as tyres, mattresses, couches, furniture, plastics, aerosols, foam, metal, painted timber, treated timber, household waste etc are burned on bonfires.

“This type of activity is illegal.

“It is also an offence to supply waste materials to parties collecting for bonfires. The uncontrolled burning of these waste types is very damaging to our health and environment as harmful dioxins are created and released into the air that we breathe.”

The Council is also concerned that bonfires can also very often be built close to houses and other property and can cause serious damage and injuries particularly where the burning of highly combustible materials is taking place.

The Council’s Environment Section has produced a short video on the issues with bonfires here and you can also view the “Stay Safe at Halloween” video message created by the Donegal Fire Service on the Council’s social media pages Stay Safe at Halloween.

To protect human health and the environment, the Council is asking all businesses and commercial outlets who deal in, or have dealt with, the sale, supply, delivery, collection or treatment of tyres or waste tyres, for example; tyre retailers, suppliers, car dealerships, plant hire, scrap yards and waste collectors/facilities etc; to ensure that all tyres and waste tyres are safely secured and managed accordingly so as they do not potentially or inadvertently form part of any bonfire(s).

Contact the Emergency Services by calling 999 or 112 if you see a bonfire being lit close to buildings, trees, overhead cables, underground services or car parking areas.

For more information on authorised waste services visit www.mywaste.ie