Residents in Lichfield and Burntwood are being urged not to burn rubbish while household waste recycling centres are closed.
Lichfield District Council sent the reminder amid concerns some people were finding alternative ways of getting rid of rubbish.
It comes after the household waste recycling centres in Lichfield and Burntwood were both shut as part of the Government’s new guidance on social distancing.
The local authority is now warning residents that burning rubbish is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Cllr Angela Lax, cabinet member for legal and regulatory services, said:
“These are challenging times and we know the closure of the tips will be having an impact on local households.
“We’re asking our residents to help us by storing their extra waste for now and home composting as much as possible.
“We haven’t had an increase in reports of nuisance bonfires as yet, but as the weather warms up, this could become an issue.
“This is why we are reminding our residents to have consideration for their neighbours and the environment and not to resort to burning their waste.”
Cllr Angela Lax, Lichfield District Council
A council spokesperson confirmed dry garden waste, such as woody or diseased items that cannot be composted, can be disposed of through bonfires – but they added that consideration must given to safety and the impact on neighbours.
