Our archaeology department want to create “burned remains” for the students to look at and they need to either create a bonfire and burn them in that or burn them in garden incinerator ( i.e. a bin with a chimney) and I am trying to establish what rules apply. The material will consist of wood, cloth, (animal) bones and bits of metal.

As far as I can see although we are in a no smoke area we can burn garden waste, but not other types of waste as a means of disposal. We are not in the business of disposing of this material; we merely want to char it. So can we burn this in a carpark let’s say?

The law applies to burning waste to get rid of it, where you are generally not supposed to without a permit, even domestic waste in the garden. The fines can be in the 10s of thousands depending on what you are burning.

However, it is worth thinking about the definition of waste, which is anything you discard, intend to discard or are required to discard.

If you are not intending to incinerate just char, then I would say you are not getting rid of waste as you will still have (most of it), you are just heat treating it.

There are also laws about emissions of dark smoke, but by the time someone has got their Ringelmann chart out, you will have finished.

I’m not sure I would want to do this on a tarmac surface even in one of those garden incinerators (you know they are galvanised don’t you! - just saying). I wouldn’t do it on a concrete surface either as it retains moisture and tends to pop if heated (grass will eventually grow back).

This is such an odd one if you really wanted to be 100% sure contact the EA, they are likely to be realistic. However, I don’t think there is a problem personally, make sure your wood has not been treated. It is a bit of an odd one as even having a garden bonfire which is not illegal, but you can’t put paper and card etc on them (yeh right, that’s how you get them started), just excess twigs and leaves which they would prefer you to compost.

Chris

Not sure it's worth contacting the EA as they will just say it's of aminor issue (in the grand scale of things).  I would approach your local authority - they'll be more inclined to assist as if there was any action (pollution/smoke nuisance complaints) it'll be them who would deal with it.  Speak with their environmental department.

Personally I think this is of such a minor issue that they'll let you get on with it.  Only I would ensure that any fire precaustions are applied and all waste is disposed of correctly.

Just feel that going to the EA is a bit of an over-reaction for what is a minor "experiment" of charring materials to then be analysised and then disposed of.