After Bonfire Night: How to Get Rid of Garden Waste in St Helens (Without Burning It)
Bonfire Night is here, and for many households across St Helens that means one thing: a big pile of garden waste, old fence panels and broken furniture waiting to go on the fire. But burning rubbish at home can land you with a fine, upset the neighbours and release toxic fumes. Here is what you can and cannot burn, and the better ways to get rid of your autumn waste.
Can you burn rubbish in your garden?
There is no outright ban on garden bonfires in England, but there are rules:
- You cannot cause a nuisance. If smoke regularly affects your neighbours, the council can serve an abatement notice, and breaching one can lead to a fine.
- You cannot let smoke drift across a road in a way that endangers traffic.
- You must not burn household or commercial waste in a way that causes pollution or harms health.
- Businesses cannot burn their waste. Trade waste, including from builders and landscapers, must go to a licensed carrier.
What you should never put on a bonfire
Some materials give off toxic smoke and should never be burned:
- Painted, varnished or treated timber, including fence panels, decking and old furniture
- Plastics, foam, sofas and mattresses
- Tyres, rubber and carpets
- Paint tins, aerosols, chemicals and oils
- Anything containing asbestos, such as old shed roofs or garage panels
Several of these count as hazardous waste and must be disposed of through the right channels. Our hazardous waste disposal service in St Helens can collect them safely.
Better ways to get rid of autumn garden waste
1. Compost what you can
Leaves, grass and soft prunings make excellent compost or leaf mould. It is free, and it is good for the garden.
2. Use your garden waste bin
For small amounts, your council garden waste collection is the easiest option. Check St Helens Council for the current collection calendar, as some areas pause garden collections over winter.
3. Book a waste clearance
If you have more than a bin can handle, such as old sheds, fencing, hedge cuttings or a full garden overhaul, our waste clearance service in St Helens will load it and take it away for recycling.
4. Hire a skip or grab lorry
For bigger projects, such as a winter landscaping job or clearing a plot, a skip gives you space to fill at your own pace. For large volumes of soil, turf or rubble, grab hire in St Helens clears it in a single visit.
5. Get bulky items collected
Broken garden furniture, trampolines and old sofas should never go on a bonfire. Our rubbish removal service in St Helens collects bulky items, with no need to hire a van or queue at the tip.
Bonfire safety if you do have one
- Only burn dry, untreated garden waste, as damp material creates more smoke
- Check the wind direction and tell your neighbours beforehand
- Build the bonfire well away from sheds, fences and trees
- Check the pile for hedgehogs and other wildlife before lighting it
- Never use petrol or paraffin to light it
- Keep water or a hose nearby, and never leave it unattended
Need waste taken away?
North West Waste is a local, Environment Agency-licensed waste company based in Rainford, St Helens. Whatever is left after Bonfire Night, we can clear it legally and recycle as much as possible. Call 01744 758 349 or get a free quote.
