Action sheet — Before the fire
Disposing of garden waste without burning it (and without spending the whole summer on it)
Burning is banned everywhere, all year round, with a €450 fine — and yet every time you trim your hedges, the same question arises: where to put the three trailers full of cuttings? Shredding, the recycling centre, composting, recycling schemes: a guide to clearing your garden legally.
Key points
- Open-air burning: prohibited all year round for private individuals — a fine of €450, and full liability if the fire gets out of control.
- Shredding turns 3 trailer loads of branches into 1 m³ of free mulch.
- Recycling centre: free for private individuals almost everywhere; dedicated skips.
- NEVER store dry cuttings near the house ‘for the time being’.
Equipment: garden shredder (hire/purchase/shared) · trailer or garden waste bags · compost bin
Why it’s important
There are two reasons for the total ban: burning 50 kg of plant matter emits as much fine particulate matter as driving a modern car for thousands of kilometres, and ‘small, controlled fires’ are a recurring cause of wildfires — a sudden gust of wind, and a pile of prunings can turn into a hillside fire. But the ban only makes sense if evacuation is feasible: that is the purpose of this factsheet. The detailed legal framework (agricultural exemptions, controlled burning) can be found at fire, barbecue, burning: the law.
How to do it, step by step
Grind down anything that sticks out beyond your finger
Rent a shredder by the day (€40–80), share the cost with neighbours, or use a home shredding service (some local authorities offer subsidies). Spread the shredded material over large areas of straw and along paths — but not against the wall (find out why).
Compost the soft parts
Grass clippings, leaves and small green cuttings: compost (10 metres from the building) or direct mulching from the mower. An active compost heap can handle a surprising amount of green waste.
Throw the rest away
Bulky waste and wood waste collection points: free for private individuals almost everywhere; access by card or number plate. Load tied-up branches lengthways along the trailer — twice as much per trip.
Make use of local collections
Many affected local authorities organise spring clear-outs or neighbourhood waste collection points during the OLD period — check with your local council; this service is designed for you.
Or delegate the whole thing
Tree surgeons and brush-clearing companies include waste removal in their quotes (make sure they do). A 50 per cent tax credit is available for minor garden maintenance carried out at your home by an approved company.
The mistakes that ruin everything
- “A small, supervised fire on a Sunday morning” — prohibited, punishable by law, and the cause of real fires every year.
- The pile of prunings left to dry ‘temporarily’ against the shed from June to September.
- Grass clippings in sealed plastic bags left in the sun — fermentation, juice, and sometimes self-heating.
- Dumping rubbish secretly in the neighbouring valley: this constitutes fly-tipping (a €1,500 fine) AND poses a threat to the mountain range.
The tip that makes all the difference
Organise a neighbourhood ‘shredding day’: rent a shredder between several households, with each household taking a slot, and share the shredded material. The cost is divided by five, and the whole hamlet is cleared of brushwood over the same weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
The risk changes every day. So do your reflexes.
Check the fire alert status for your department, keep track of current fires and report a new fire via the Feux de Forêt mobile app.