Burning of Agricultural Waste/Green Waste Burning

Ending of Exemption for Agricultural Green Waste Burnings

Since the 30th of November 2023 you can no longer burn green waste.

Why did the burning of green waste end?

To improve the sustainable management of agricultural green waste which will:

Improve air quality and human health.

Better utilise material for sustainable alternative uses

Enhance and promote biodiversity.

What are the sustainable practices to replace burning?

In November 2022, the Irish Bioenergy Association on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine developed a feasibility study on the sustainable management of agricultural green waste in Ireland.

This report outlines many sustainable alternatives to burning which farmers are permitted to use, including:

• Use of flailing and return the cut material to the ground in-situ
• Establish a nature pile/biodiversity habitat corner allowing the material to decompose over time
• Produce sustainable wood fuel for own heating use on-farm
• Composting of the material on-farm
• Off-farm energy generation from high quality, large volume, uncontaminated material
• Use of the material for animal bedding
• Produce landscaping material
• Biochar production

Material types

This final burning exemption applies to farmers who generate agricultural green waste through:

• Management of hedgerows
• Land clearance and maintenance activities
• Wind fall material arising
• Pest-infected and diseased material requiring management

This exemption does not apply to the controlled burning of growing vegetation as this is covered by Section 39 & 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976. In addition, if land is in a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) or a Special Protection Area (SPA), it is likely that an application will have to be made to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) for permission to conduct any burning of vegetation. For the management of invasive species, please refer to the NPWS.