Council warns of health risks from burning rubbish

BACKYARD burning has escalated since the introduction of pay-by-weight refuse charges in County Cork and the council yesterday warned that people doing it are damaging the health of neighbours and risk prosecution.

Dr Mary Stack, head of the council’s environmental awareness section, said that so far this year her department had received 107 complaints about members of the public burning rubbish in their back yards.

While the council is investigating these complaints, it also wrote to DIY stores and garden centres asking them to voluntarily withdraw burners from sale. Not one of the stores did so, which the council says is very disappointing.