Rural waste burning is generally an organized crime operation. The councils have no funds to take people on, if you phone the police on the weekend you'll get the lone officer holding the fort, at best. In many cases the farmers involved are threatened/forced into it by the gangs. It's turned into something rather more like Italy on waste because there's no money to enforce anything any more.

I would start instead with

- Your police and crime commissioner (cc your MP). They don't have anything else useful to do and they are getting abolished soon anyway.

- Environment agency (not that they've got enough money to stop people putting poop in rivers even)

- Local paper if you are lucky enough to still have one

- NFU (sounds silly but if your local farmers are caught up by organized criminals they may be in a good position to help)

- And you can report what you believe to be serious/organized crime direct to the NCA, so it hits an intelligence gathering outfit rather than the local weekend copper trying to do 100 things at once.

I sent the drone up a short while ago because the air is still thick to get a better look and I genuinely don't have the words!

This isn't a bonfire to get rid of some stuff. This is industrial scale waste disposal. There are hundreds of crates stacked up, absolutely rammed with used pipes, waste and refuse, all queued up and waiting to go on the fire. You can see the burn site clearly, still smouldering, with smoke rising from what looks like a enormous scorched quarry type area that has clearly been used repeatedly over time.

And look at the photos. There is a stream running directly below the burn site. A stream that feeds into Severn. So whatever toxins, whatever chemicals, whatever is leaching out of that waste as it burns and as it sits there... it's going straight into the water. 

We've been breathing this in for two days. My wife and I have felt ill for two days and now I can see exactly why.

What is wrong with people? Genuinely. What is wrong with people?

Photos attached.

@etchedpixels some good ideas... I'll be writing a load of emails today, not that it'll help, but I didn't move to the countryside to have to breath this toxicity in!

NCA will definitely be interested in those photos. Don't expect any magic immediate response though.

@etchedpixels thank you. I'll definitely be sending out emails today. This needs to be stopped.

That is pretty foul. Can you get other people to complain? When a lot of people do it things tend to get done (quicker).

Also get lots of close up pics.

Not something i've ever had to deal with so can't offer much other than to wish you good luck.

In Scotland SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) closely enforce on farm open burning of waste with only untreated wood, brash or some crop residues permitted. Large fines are dished out regularly for non compliance. There is a reporting form on line and a freephone hotline to contact them.  Unfortunately none of that helps you, as what you have is awful and needs stopped.

@abernyte, I think it may be time to move to Scotland!

@editor …In a puff of smoke!

@editor would it be worth contacting SEPA? They might be able to advise on a similar agency or agencies operating in England.

Those pictures are shocking.

I might be mistaken but I thought the Fire Brigade would be quite happy being told of a plume of smoke that doesn't look right, and if they turn up and put out a fire that's turning into an ecological nightmare then the callout would be doubly justified.

I'm not suggesting blithely using the Fire Brigade as a big stick and being high-handed with their valuable time, but is a fire such as you've described not a valid use of the emergency services? There's a clear and present health issue as well as the fact that, without your drone, you can only see evidence of an uncontrolled fire that's clearly not a bonfire. Even with your drone, you can see the fire is not being properly controlled and therefore poses a threat to surrounding woodland in heatwave conditions.

Posted by: @editor

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it almost always starts on a Friday afternoon. Always. And it's always done and dusted by Monday morning.

That suggests to me that they are most concerned about an Enforcement Officer being sent to investigate by your local Council (District or Borough level).

They have a remit for environmental health, planning and building control.

If this is unlicensed waste disposal, then it's that level of local; government which pursue redress.

1: Check the website of your local Council to see if there has been Planning Permission sought for waste disposal at that location.

2: Contact the Councillor(s) representing your ward. They have the mandate to direct an Officer to attend on site and recover evidence.