What is a Smoke Control Order?
A smoke control order requires only authorised fuels to be burnt in specific parts of the UK. This applies to those living in residential areas as well as to commercial businesses. A smoke control zone is a legally defined area where you must not emit a substantial amount of smoke from a chimney.
As part of the Clean Air Act 1993 (Section 21), smoke control orders were brought into effect to reduce the levels of air pollution emitted in densely populated areas and to improve the air quality for local residents and the wider environment. In smoke control areas you can only use certain types of fuel or exempt appliances. Your local council will be able to advise what your obligations are in relation to smoke control in your property.
What can you burn in a Smoke Controlled area?
In a smoke control area residents must only burn authorised fuel, RTB (ready to burn) dry wood, kiln dried wood, or smokeless fuels. Residents must not burn unauthorised fuel. Exempt appliances such as multi-fuel and wood-burning stoves may be used in smoke control areas which have been tested and recognised as an exempt product by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Exempt appliances can be found in Section 20 and 21 of the Clean Air Act.
Dry, ready to burn wood is permitted to be used in smoke control areas only if burned in an exempt appliance. The government Ready to Burn Scheme recognises fuels that are approved and can be labelled as Ready to Burn, complying with Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020 that prohibit the sale of wet wood and housecoal, which are the most harmful to the environment. The Ready to Burn certification marked on all certified products helps to identify solid fuels that are legal to burn at home in compliance with the new regulations.
Authorised Solid Smokeless Fuels
If you have a non-exempt appliance in your home or business, such as an open fire, you are only permitted to burn smokeless fuels which meet the requirements of the Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020. Smokeless fuels are defined as gases or a solid fuel which emits little to no visible smoke during combustion. This includes anthracite, charcoal and hexamine fuel. Gas and volatile steam coal are classified as inherently smokeless fuels and may also be used in a smoke control area in non-exempt appliances. A full list of authorised fuels can be found at: https://smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk/fuels.php.
Do I live in a Smoke Control Zone?
If you live in a smoke control area, you must be aware of the restrictions when burning fuels in your home or business or you could risk facing a fine of up to £1,000. To find out if you live in a smoke control area or to contact your local authority visit: www.gov.uk/find-local-council.
Please be aware that considerable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this article at the time of publication, however any legislative (or other) changes that come into effect after this may render the information out of date until it is reviewed and updated as part of the FPA’s content review cycle.