Otago residents are being urged to be more thoughtful about what they burn outdoors after Otago Regional Council (ORC) has had to deal with a spate of potentially toxic fires, ORC compliance manager Tami Sargeant said.

Mattresses, plastic bottles, tyres, chemicals and waste oil are just some of the items being burnt outdoors in Otago.

“It’s important to think about what you’re burning; you’ll breathe it in and so will your family and your neighbours,” Tami said.

Items such as mattresses, plastic bottles, tyres, food waste, chemicals and waste oil can’t be burnt safely, as they have the potential to discharge extremely harmful toxins into the environment.

The best practice is to find a way to recycle or re-use them or dispose of them appropriately at landfill, Tami said.

If you are conducting backyard burning or having burn-offs, you need to consider what effect your actions are having on the wider community and the environment, she said.

“You can still have fires, but what we are saying is, please be up to speed with our rules and understand what you can and can’t burn.”

ORC has produced a guide to rules around outdoor burning in Otago, aimed to help anyone navigate which rules apply in which part of Otago.

If you see signs of pollution or outdoor burning of concern, contact ORC’s Pollution Hotline 0800 800 033.