The burning of waste in compliance with Regulation 5(1) (a) and 5(1) (b) shall cease on 1 March 2023 but will be allowed for a further three month period from 1 September 2023 to 30 November 2023.”. Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in “Iris Oifigiúil” of 31st January, 2023.

Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal By Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2023

I, Eamon Ryan, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 7 and 39 of the Waste Management Act 1996 (No. 10 of 1996), hereby make the following regulations: Citation 1. These Regulations may be cited as the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. Interpretation 2. “Principal Regulations” means the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 286 of 2009) as amended by the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 504 of 2013), the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2015 (S.I. 538 of 2015), the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 599 of 2017), the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 684 of 2019), the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 738 of 2020) and the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal by Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 51 of 2022). Amendment of the Principal Regulations 3. The Principal Regulations are amended by substituting for Regulation 6 the following: “Cessation of the permissible disposal of waste by burning 6. The burning of waste in compliance with Regulation 5(1) (a) and 5(1) (b) shall cease on 1 March 2023 but will be allowed for a further three month period from 1 September 2023 to 30 November 2023.”.

The Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal By Burning) Regulations 2009, allowing farmers to dispose of waste generated by agricultural practices by burning expired on 31st December 2022.

It is now an offence under the Air Pollution Act 1987, and the Waste Management Act 1996 as amended, to dispose of Agricultural waste such as bushes, branches and trees, etc by burning.

The alternative options for farmers, are that Green Waste:

• is reduced in accordance with best agricultural practice

• is reused where practicable

• is recycled through shredding and use as compost or wood chippings

• is salvaged for use as fuel where practicable

• is brought to an authorised Waste Facility Permitted sites for composting and recycling by authorised Waste Collection Permit holders.

Further details are available at www.nwcpo.ie

Applicants shall submit completed application forms to environment@meathcoco.ie.