February 15th, 2021 by
The Truth About the “Wet Wood” Ban
On 21st February 2020, the government announced plans to move forward with their Clean Air Strategy. This means they will be restricting the sale of house coal and wet wood, starting in February 2021. While the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed many aspects of the Clean Air Strategy, the wood-burning ban is going ahead as planned. So what does this mean for you if you own, or are planning to buy, a wood-burning stove?
Are Wood Burners Going to be Banned?
Wood burning and solid fuel stoves themselves are not going to be banned at the time of writing. However, certain fuels are being phased out from February 2021. This means there will be new restrictions on what fuels you can buy.
What Solid Fuels Are Being Banned?
- Sales of traditional bagged house coal are banned, while the sale of loose house coal direct to customers will end by 2023. This means it may still be permitted for sale to businesses who need it for industrial purposes.
- From February 2021, sales of wet wood will be either phased out entirely or will need to be sold with advice on how to dry it out before use. Small cubes of less than 2m in size will be banned. If the units of wood are any larger, they will only be permitted for sale with advice on how to dry it.
- Manufacturers of any solid fuels will be bound by new restrictions, meaning they must prove their products contain low levels of sulphur and produce a small amount of smoke.
At present, these laws are only taking effect in England. However, the devolved governments of other parts of the UK have announced similar legislation. You can find each government’s proposed policies in the resources list at the bottom of this article.
Why Are Some Solid Fuels Being Banned?
Even though, when wood burns, it gives off carbon dioxide, it is classed as a “carbon neutral” fuel source. This is because, during its life, a tree will absorb as much carbon dioxide as it emits when burned as fuel. It is reasonable to ask why many kinds of wood are being restricted in this case.
The answer partly lies in the controversy around the term “carbon neutral”. Experts argue the term does not take into account the true carbon cost of burning wood. Unless you are burning wood that you have gathered yourself, it is likely that the fuel you are burning has been machine-produced and hauled over a long distance as it travels through the supply chain to the retailer. It also does not consider the costs of deforestation, which has a much bigger and longer-term impact on the environment.
The main reason cited by the government for banning many solid fuels is a substance known as PM2.5. The PM stands for particulate matter – a mixture of solid particles and droplets of liquid that appear in the air. 2.5 is a reference to the mass per cubic metre of air of these particles. PM2.5 is also known as fine particulate matter – a blanket term that covers very tiny bits of soot, dust, and other forms of air pollution.
Smoke Control Areas
Many parts of the UK are designated smoke control areas, with the number of these areas increasing rapidly. If you live in a smoke control area, you will be under even tighter restrictions regarding what you can burn in a stove. You can find out whether you’re in a smoke control area by checking your local council website or contacting them directly.
Despite the name, smoke control areas do not ban burning all solid fuels entirely. However, you will only be able to burn fuel from a strict list of authorised fuels. These may vary depending on which part of the UK you live in, so you should check the DEFRA website for more information. You are permitted to burn smokeless fuels such as anthracite, semi-anthracite, gas, or low volatile steam coal. You will also be permitted to use eco-friendly electric heating without issue.
Health Risks of PM2.5
PM2.5 has been identified as the most serious air pollutant by the World Health Organisation. Once breathed in, it can enter the bloodstream and travel around the body. The California Air Resources Board identifies the link between PM2.5 and a range of heart and lung conditions, and for those with pre-existing conditions, the health risks are even greater. Studies have found that slightly decreasing the amount of PM2.5 in the air can reduce the risk of (all-cause) premature death by 3.5%. A similar study found a link between fine particulate matter and all respiratory symptoms, from minor issues such as coughing to more serious issues like lung cancer.
A growing body of research indicates that the effects of air pollution like PM2.5 may be further-reaching than previously thought. A recent global review found that it can harm every part of the body, increasing the risks of heart and lung disease, bladder cancer, infertility, diabetes, dementia, and bone and skin conditions. The European Heart Journal attributes global air pollution to 8.8 million premature deaths a year.
2021 Findings into Wood Burning Stoves
Based on the ever-increasing body of research into the risks caused by PM2.5, many health experts are advising that, while they may not yet be banned entirely, wood-burning stoves should be avoided wherever possible. While they may be an attractive addition to your living room, homeowners should think twice about installing a wood burner – or using coal-powered central heating - unless they have no other feasible source of heat, as even relatively "clean" or smokeless fuels still produce from fine particulate matter. These particles can have a detrimental effect on the air quality inside your home, even in very small quantities.
Electric Heating
The growing shift away from wood and coal for heating has led to electric heating becoming more popular. This, in turn, has led to the creation of Lot 20 and other eco-friendly directives, to make sure homes using electric heaters get the benefit of the latest energy-saving technology.
The benefits of a modern, efficient electric heater are twofold. As they don’t produce any fine particulate matter, the air in and around your home will be much cleaner. Also, as renewable energy grows more common, the impact of these heaters on the environment is minimal, even when considering the carbon costs of generating power. Increasingly, the advice is shifting towards renewable electric heating as a clean source of heat for homeowners.
Resources
White Paper on Clean Air for Wales
DAERA website for Northern Ireland
Gov.UK website on smoke control areas
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