Why Don't We Burn Our Own Rubbish Anymore?

[Quenched]

I cant speak for everyone, but as a family of three, two adults and a child, our one wheelie bin of general waste which is now collected fortnightly instead of weekly, but we typically have at least one black bag too many as we can't physically put anymore in the wheelie bin. 

 

Then I remembered my parents and their parents before them always had a bonfire at least once a week in their garden and didn't have any rubbish to put out for collection. 

 

The only thing that got collected was things that couldn't be burnt like tins and jars, bottles. 

 

But actually our local shop gave you 2 pence with every bottle returned, why are shops not doing that anymore?

 

So basically we were in Aldi the other day and they were selling metal incinerators, they look a bit like a tin bin with holes in it, so we bought one and lets just say we no longer have general waste to go out at all.

 

The only thing we have left for collection is bottles and tins. 

 

So we help the waste collection men as we have zero general waste to go out like my parents used to do. 

 

Why can't as a nation we all do this? 

[Kardashev]

I imagine if everyone did it the pollution would be a be an issue.

[calmck]

There are laws about burning certain types of waste and to prevent bonfires causing a nuisance.

Burning domestic waste

You cannot get rid of household waste if it will cause pollution or harm people’s health. This includes burning it.

From the UK GOV website.

You can get rid of household or garden waste by composting or recycling it. Contact your local council to find out how to dispose of garden waste and about recycling in your area.

You could be fined if you light a fire and allow the smoke to drift across the road and become a danger to traffic.

[Prudie]

I thought there were strict rules about burning things in gardens now. 

[Quenched]

Kardashev, 

But then it gets incinerated in the end anyway, or go to land fill. At least this way we're getting rid of it ourselves. 

[Prudie]

Considerations:

Timing: Avoid lighting bonfires at times that are likely to be most disruptive to neighbors, such as weekends or bank holidays. 

Weather: Avoid lighting bonfires in unsuitable weather conditions, such as windy days or damp evenings, as smoke may hang in the air or be blown into neighboring gardens. 

Materials: Only burn dry materials, and never burn household rubbish, rubber tires, or anything containing plastic, foam, or paint, as these can cause harmful emissions. 

[newmodarmy]

^ that looks like a US site but in general terms it's applicable in UK too

[Quenched]

Our little incinerator doesn't affect the traffic as its at the rear of our house, and once the lid is on you wouldn't hardly know its lit. 

 

How else would we avoid an over loaded wheelie bin each fortnight? 

[New Judge]

"....our one wheelie bin of general waste which is now collected fortnightly instead of weekly, but we typically have at least one black bag too many as we can't physically put anymore in the wheelie bin."

How on Earth do you accumulate that much rubbish? Mrs NJ and I also have our non-recyclable rubbish collected every two weeks. Most collections we have less than half a black bagfull. Most of the time a black bag would last us six weeks.

We see neighbours putting out huge bins and muliple black bags alongside. What is all this stuff?

[Quenched]

This is what we bought:

 

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendationref=asc_df_B077JMZQSF?mcid=eb6c37545b4b32b388057ec4bf4bf98c&hvocijid=10360898564043679932-B077JMZQSF-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10360898564043679932&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006886&hvtargid=pla-2281435178138&psc=1&gad_source=1

[barry1010]

What are you burning that the council won't take as recycling?

[DDIL]

2 adults, 2 dogs and 2 cats we have the small black bin a rarely fill it

[DDIL]

Oh and burning your rubbish is a daft idea. What decade did your parents burn their rubbish ? Because my father and grandparents are from down your way and I never remember them burning rubbish 

[Quenched]

New Judge, 

Well where do I start, I have a daily newspaper, so by the time the rubbish collection thats 14 newspapers, then theres packaging from ready meals etc. 

 

We average at least 4 black bags a fortnight, and it won't fit in our wheelie bin, its rammed as we normally let our daughter jump on it so we can squeeze more in, but we normally have one bag left over outside which they don't take unless its in the wheelie bin. 

 

My concern is with the new rules that around here fly tipping has gone through the roof. I would never do that, but I've noticed people are just not coping with the new rules which started last year. 

 

So to illuminate this problem we burn it all. 

[davebro3]

My fortnightly non-recyclable barely fills a supermarket carrier bag! I usually stick it in one of my neighbours' bins.

Back in the day we had coal fires - the only stuff that went in the bin was ashes & burnt tins. Of course bronchitis was more common?

[drmorgans]

 

Can't you recycle the paper and cardboard?

 

[davebro3]

PS. there is currently a TV advert for a device that compresses waste in a wheelie bin so you get more in. just sayin'

[DDIL]

Recycling!!

stop buying ready meals and do what your parents did and cook!

[davebro3]

I think recycled cardboard & paper is re-used. Toilet rolls?

[Prudie]

But newspapers and ready meal packaging goes in recycling not black bag rubbish. I'm the same as everyone else, 2 adults, 2 cats and we probably put out half a bag a fortnight and that's nearly all cat litter/waste and maybe a vacuum contents.

[davebro3]

There are plans for returnable deposits on bottles etc. Watch this space...