Disposable barbecue ban petition passes 10,000 signatures amid wildfire crisis
Campaigners are calling for a UK-wide sales ban as major fires in Suffolk and the Cairngorms expose the growing threat to wildlife-rich landscapes.
A petition calling for a nationwide ban on the sale of disposable barbecues has passed the 10,000-signature threshold, guaranteeing a formal response from the UK Government.
The e-petition, launched by Marissa Pysarczuk, asks ministers to outlaw the sale of single-use disposable barbecues, promote safer reusable alternatives and work with retailers to remove the products from sale.
At the time of writing it had attracted more than 12,700 signatures. It will remain open until 15 December 2026 and must reach 100,000 signatures before it can be considered for debate in Parliament.
The campaign has acquired renewed urgency following a succession of serious wildfires across wildlife-rich landscapes, including the major blaze at Dunwich Heath on the Suffolk coast and the continuing fire in the Cairngorms National Park.
At Dunwich, a fire which began on Wednesday 29 July spread rapidly across around 150 hectares of heathland, woodland and surrounding countryside. More than 100 firefighters were involved at the height of the response, while residents and holidaymakers were evacuated and parts of Dunwich Heath and RSPB Minsmere were closed.
The affected landscape supports nationally important populations of Dartford Warbler, Nightjar and Woodlark, as well as Stonechat, Skylark and other heathland birds. The full ecological damage will not be known until conservation staff can safely survey the burned ground, but active nests, recently fledged birds and invertebrate-rich vegetation are likely to have been particularly vulnerable.
We want the Government to introduce a nationwide ban on the sale of single-use disposable barbecues.
UK Parliament petition
The apparent gap between wildfire warnings and what remains available in local shops was highlighted during BBC Radio 4's coverage of the Dunwich fire. The owner of Cliff House Holiday Park, which was evacuated during the incident, said that garages in the area were continuing to sell disposable barbecues even while the fire was burning nearby.
There is no suggestion at present that a disposable barbecue caused the Dunwich fire, whose origin remains under investigation. Nor has the continuing wildfire in the Cairngorms been officially attributed to one. The argument behind the petition is instead that disposable barbecues create an avoidable ignition risk during periods when vegetation is exceptionally dry and a small fire can spread with extraordinary speed.
The Cairngorms National Park already has one of Britain's clearest seasonal restrictions. Lighting fires and using barbecues anywhere in the park is prohibited from 1 April to 30 September, with offenders facing a fine of up to £500.
However, the park authority acknowledges that its byelaw controls use, not sale. It cannot legally prevent retailers from stocking disposable barbecues, although it has asked local businesses not to sell them and has supported calls for wider national action.
That distinction goes to the heart of the new petition. Site managers, councils and national parks can introduce local bans, display warning signs and close land during extreme conditions, yet products designed to hold burning charcoal close to the ground can still be bought close to the habitats those measures are intended to protect.
Disposable barbecues can remain hot for hours after use. If placed on dry grass, heath or peat, or discarded before they are fully extinguished, heat and embers can ignite vegetation or smoulder unnoticed before developing into a larger fire. Their lightweight construction also makes them easy to abandon, adding litter and sharp metal waste to the fire risk.
The Government has not yet committed to reviewing a ban. First Secretary of State Louise Haigh said this week that prohibiting disposable barbecues was not currently under consideration, although ministers would continue to monitor the situation. The petition's passage beyond 10,000 signatures now requires the Government to set out its position formally.
A sales ban would not remove every cause of wildfire. Cigarettes, campfires, machinery, deliberate fire-setting and natural events can all ignite dry vegetation, while habitat management, public awareness and adequately resourced fire services remain essential. Supporters of the petition argue, however, that removing a cheap and readily available source of open flame would be a practical step at a time when prolonged heat and drought are increasing the consequences of a single mistake.
The fires at Dunwich and in the Cairngorms have demonstrated how quickly nationally important habitats can be damaged and how long recovery may take. They have also sharpened the question now facing ministers: whether local restrictions are enough when disposable barbecues remain available for sale during the very emergencies those restrictions are intended to prevent.
Support the call for a ban on disposable barbecues
The petition closes on 15 December 2026. At 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
31 Jul 2026
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