Embracing alternatives to outdoor burning

Mulching

Mulch is used to cover soil. Laying down lawn clippings and leaves for mulching will enrich your soil and plant life. It traps moisture in the soil, which is beneficial in drought-prone areas, maintains nutrients, and helps prevent weed growth. 

Organic mulch can be made of bark, leaves, straw, and grass clippings.

Composting

Composting organic material like leaves, grass clippings, and food waste is great for your garden and reduces the amount of organic waste going to landfill - win-win! Composting is simple and can be done by anyone, you can even get your kids involved. All you need is a carbon-rich material (dried leaves, for example), nitrogen-rich material (food waste, manure), and water.

Lovefoodhatewaste has a guide to start your at-home compost.

Kerbside collection services or transfer stations

Use your kerbside collection service or take your rubbish to a transfer site to save you from managing an onsite outdoor burn. You can find more information on collection or transfer sites on your local council’s website.

Recycling farm plastics

Farm plastics can be recycled through Plasback and Agrecovery.

Outdoor burning rules

You cannot burn outdoors if your property is under two hectares, even if you live rurally. You will need resource consent to burn green waste.

The only exception to this rule is outdoor cooking including BBQs, pizza ovens and hāngī/umu, as long as the smoke is not offensive and beyond your property boundary.

If your property is larger than two hectares, you can burn dry vegetation, paper, cardboard, and untreated wood only. Do not burn refuse.

Try one or more alternatives like mulching or composting before you burn. 

If you decide to burn outdoors, you must meet outdoor burning rules and Fire and Emergency New Zealand restrictions.

Contact us if you are concerned about a burn in Canterbury or use the Snap Send Solve app on your phone.