Burning Tyres and Plastics in Czechia

Current legislative framework and rules for 2026

A common misconception concerns biodegradable waste: although Czech law allows the burning of dry plant material, it also gives municipalities the power to restrict such burning. In practice, this means that if your municipality has prohibited burning by a generally binding ordinance, you must not burn even dry branches in an open fire. You should always verify the current ordinance on the municipality’s official notice board.

A completely different situation applies to waste plastics, tyres and chemically treated wood. From the perspective of the Czech Waste Act, these materials are always considered waste that is not intended to be burned in households. Their burning is prohibited nationwide with no exceptions.

The legal team at ARROWS regularly handles cases where entrepreneurs or property owners have breached Czech waste-management rules. Our experience shows that prevention and knowledge of local municipal ordinances always pays off.

Legal classification of burning – what exactly the laws prohibit

The burning of materials is regulated under the Czech legal system by three main regulations that complement each other. The Czech Waste Act clearly states that waste must be handed over to a facility designated for waste management. Burning waste outside incineration facilities is prohibited—this applies both to domestic boilers and to open fires.

Section 16 of the Czech Air Protection Act provides that only dry plant materials not contaminated with chemical substances may be burned in an open fire. Furthermore, Section 17 prohibits burning fuels in boilers that are not intended by the manufacturer of the equipment and that do not meet quality requirements. This effectively bans “topping up” heating with plastics, chipboard, old furniture or waste oils.

The Czech Fire Protection Act then expressly prohibits large-scale burning of vegetation. This term refers to disposing of grass, weeds or shrubs by setting fire to an area, which is a highly risky activity and is strictly sanctioned. Individuals who decide to clear a meadow with fire commit an offence.

Burning tyres – special cases and their risks

Tyres are a specific type of waste. Burning them is one of the worst disposal methods and is in direct conflict with both the Czech Waste Act and the Czech Air Protection Act.

When tyres burn, thick black smoke is produced containing sulphur oxides, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. For legal entities, disposing of tyres by burning or handing them over to an unauthorised person is a critical compliance failure that can lead to fines in the millions of Czech crowns.

The state-guaranteed method of disposal is take-back. Under the Czech Act on End-of-Life Products, take-back must be free of charge for the end user. Take-back points are typically tyre service centres, car repair shops or municipal collection yards.

Burning plastics – a toxic reality

Burning plastics in domestic conditions is extremely dangerous. Temperatures in domestic boilers or open fires are too low for complete combustion, resulting in hazardous emissions.

Burning PVC produces hydrogen chloride and, above all, dioxins, which are among the most potent known carcinogens. Dioxins accumulate in fatty tissues, have mutagenic effects, and their release in residential areas poses a direct health risk. Burning PET bottles and polystyrene also releases phthalate esters and styrene.

From a legal perspective, there is no exception under Czech law that would allow “household disposal” of plastics by burning. It constitutes waste management in breach of the law.

Specific penalties – what you risk if you breach the rules

The level of penalties varies depending on whether the offence was committed by a natural person (an individual) or a legal entity. Individuals face fines of up to CZK 50,000 under the Air Protection Act for burning waste in a boiler or on an open fire.

Under the Fire Protection Act, an individual may be fined up to CZK 25,000 for failing to comply with fire safety rules or for burning vegetation. Legal entities face fines of up to CZK 10,000,000 under the Waste Act for unauthorised handling of waste.

In addition, entrepreneurs may face penalties of up to CZK 500,000 under the Fire Protection Act for burning vegetation. The limitation period for administrative offences is generally one year; for more serious offences, it is three years from the date of commission.

Practical alternatives – what to do instead of burning

Czech legislation is designed to prioritise recycling and material recovery. For biodegradable waste, the ideal solution is composting on your own property or using brown bins, as municipalities in the Czech Republic are required to provide locations for separate collection of bio-waste.

For tyres, use the network of take-back points where drop-off is free of charge for individuals regardless of the tyre brand. Plastics belong in yellow containers for standard packaging plastics, or at municipal collection yards for large items.

Inspections and enforceability

Compliance with the bans is primarily monitored by municipalities with extended powers (ORP), the Czech Environmental Inspectorate, and in the case of open fires also the Fire Rescue Service and the Police of the Czech Republic.

For household boilers, if an authority receives repeated complaints and there is reasonable suspicion that prohibited fuels are being burned, the operator is obliged to allow the inspector access directly to the source and the fuel. Authorities may also carry out ash analyses, which can reliably prove the burning of plastics or chemically treated wood even retrospectively.

Defence in administrative proceedings

If administrative offence proceedings are initiated against you, you have full procedural rights to a defence under Czech administrative law. You may inspect the file, propose evidence, comment on the documents underlying the decision, and file remedies/appeals.

A typical mistake is passivity or relying on “common sense”, as administrative proceedings are a formal process. An attorney can assess whether the authority has gathered sufficient evidence, whether the limitation period has expired, or whether the act was correctly legally classified. In cases of high fines for entrepreneurs, expert legal assistance is essential.

Contact us at consultation@arws.cz in time, ideally as soon as you receive a request to provide an explanation or a notice of commencement of proceedings.

Watch out for coatings. Wood that is varnished, impregnated with stains, glues, or other chemicals must not be burned in standard boilers or on an open fire, because it is considered waste under Czech law.

2. Do I have to report the burning of brushwood to the fire brigade?

Individuals generally do not have this statutory obligation across the board (unless a regional decree requires it during drought), but it is strongly recommended. Legal entities and self-employed individuals have a legal obligation to notify the regional Fire Rescue Service in advance of any burning of flammable substances in open areas.

3. Can a municipality ban the burning of even dry leaves in a garden?

Yes. Under Section 16(4) of the Czech Air Protection Act, a municipality may set conditions by local ordinance for burning dry plant material or ban it entirely; if such an ordinance is in force in the municipality, burning constitutes an administrative offence.

4. Who is responsible if a tenant burns waste?

Primarily the person who committed the offence, i.e., the tenant. However, the property owner may become involved in resolving the issue, especially if it concerns a defective boiler condition or if the owner knew about the unlawful conduct and failed to intervene.

Read also:

• Factory Waste Incineration in Czechia: Legal Limits and 2026 Penalties
• Czech Inspections of Waste Incinerators and Boiler Rooms: 2026 Compliance Guide
• Czech Water Act Compliance for Car Wash and Service Centre Wastewater
• Digital Inspections and AI in 2026: New EU Compliance Duties for Firms
• Changing the Use of Property in Czechia: Procedure Under the New Building Act