Keep it clean DRAFT

Air pollution is the biggest environmental risk to public health.

Using a stove or open fire at home is a major contributor of a pollutant called fine particulate matter (known as PM2.5). These tiny particles can damage your lungs and other organs and can be harmful to your health.

Making small changes to how you burn can provide benefits such as:

  • Improving the air we all breathe by reducing the amount of pollution produced.
  • Keeping you and your family safe by reducing the risk of chimney fires.
  • Helping you get the most out of your stove or open fire so that it performs better – by using less fuel to produce more heat.

What you can burn in smoke control areas

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) allows only certain fuels for burning in smoke control areas. You can find the list of authorised fuels here. If you are using a DEFRA-approved appliance, please consult the specification documents for the correct fuel for those appliances.

Exempt appliances that can burn unauthorised fuels

Some fuels that are not on DEFRA’s authorised fuels list, such as dried wood logs, can be used in an exempt appliance; however, you can still only burn the type of fuel specified in the instructions for the appliance. Details of exempt appliances can be found here.

You must only use the types of fuel that the manufacturers say can be used in the appliances.

Under the Clean Air Act 1993, you could receive a £300 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) if you emit smoke from your chimney in a smoke control area. Failure to pay the FPN could lead to prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000. Regardless of whether you are in a smoke control area or not, you may also be prosecuted if the smoke causes a statutory nuisance to other residents.

Graphic to illustrate degrees of pollution from heating system

Why it matters

Air pollution impacts the health and well-being of everyone, particularly children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions such as asthma. Harmful smoke and pollutants in the air can aggravate breathing difficulties, trigger asthma attacks, and contribute to long-term health problems like heart disease and lung cancer. By reducing smoke and other air pollutants, we can create a healthier environment for our community and protect our most vulnerable residents.

How can you help?

  • Switch to authorised fuels
  • Avoid open fires in smoke control areas
  • Use approved stoves and heaters
  • If you are considering buying an appliance, please consider a DEFRA-approved appliance.

Check it regularly

Regular maintenance of your stove or open fire means it will perform better, use less fuel to produce more heat, and produce fewer harmful particles.

To properly maintain your stove, you should:

  • Make sure your stove is installed by a registered installer. Use the HETAS website to find a registered installer.
  • Get your stove serviced once a year. If you’re unsure whether your current system was installed correctly, you can get this checked at your annual service.
  • Always use your stove in line with the manufacturer and installer’s guidance, including only burning suitable fuels.

In addition, there are actions you can take to help maintain both your stove or open fire.

You should regularly:

  • Clean out the ash
  • Check firebricks for cracks
  • Clean the stove glass
  • Check the seal around the stove door
  • Clean the outside of stove or open fire.

Sweep it professionally

An important part of maintaining your stove or open fire is getting your chimney swept at least once a year by a chimney sweep. Soot and tar build up in your chimney over time, reducing its efficiency and increasing the risk of chimney fires.

Putting a reminder in your calendar is a useful way to remember to get your chimney swept each year.

Find a chimney sweep through:

Feed it the right fuel

To help improve the air we breathe and ensure householders choose cleaner fuels, sales of traditional house coal and wet wood (the two most polluting fuels) have been phased out in England.

Cleaner alternatives, such as dry wood and manufactured solid fuels, produce less smoke and pollution than wet wood or traditional house coal and are cheaper and more efficient to burn.

You should always check which fuel types are recommended for your appliance. Using the wrong fuel could damage your appliance, affect your chimney, and invalidate your warranty.

Types of fuel

Ready to Burn fuel

If you buy fuel accompanied by the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo, you can be confident that you are choosing the cleanest available fuels and reducing the risk to yourself and your family. The Ready to Burn logo shows that:

Wood (sold in volumes of less than 2m3) has a moisture content of 20% or less.

Manufactured solid fuels (such as briquettes and fire logs) meet sulphur and smoke emission limits.

You can find the logo on the fuel’s packaging, alongside it on the shelf or next to the price. This will be accompanied by the manufacturer or supplier’s details and a certification number. Add Logo

Wood

Make sure any wood you burn at home is dry (this means it has a moisture content of 20% or less). When burnt, wet wood with a moisture content above 20% produces lots of smoke, particles and tar deposits which can damage your health and the environment. This can also damage your appliance and chimney, increasing maintenance costs and the risk of chimney fires. Dry wood produces less smoke and has better heat efficiency.

If you buy wood in volumes under 2m3, you can check the wood has less than 20% moisture by seeing if it has the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo.

If you buy wood in volumes over 2m3 or source your own wood, you should:

  • Store it in a dry area, allowing the logs to air dry for at least 2 years before burning.
  • Use a moisture meter to check that moisture levels are 20% or less before burning.
  • Check for signs your wood is ready to burn if you cannot use a moisture meter.
  • Weight – when comparing similar sized logs and the same species, if the log is heavier this can indicate it is still wet.
  • Sound – a hollow sound when tapping indicates dry logs.
  • Cracked ends – can indicate dry logs.
  • Bark – the looser the bark the drier the log.
  • Colour – dry wood can be lighter in colour.

Where possible, look for sustainability sourced wood by checking it comes from a sustainably managed woodland that is nearby.

Do not burn treated wood, such as painted, stained or chemically treated wood (which includes old furniture, pallets and medium density fibreboard). These release dangerous pollutants which could have a serious impact on human health.

Whether you buy wood or source it yourself, the Forestry Commission has more information on choosing and drying logs.

You can find your local wood supplier through the Ready to Burn website.

Manufactured solid fuels

Manufactured solid fuels are available in a range of forms, such as briquettes and fire logs.

Before purchasing manufactured solid fuels, check your stove’s manual to make sure which specific fuels can be used. Incorrect use can cause damage to your appliance.

Again, you should look for the approved ‘Ready to Burn’ logo. The logo confirms that the fuel meets the sulphur and smoke emission limits and can be legally sold for use in domestic premises – with some limited exemptions.

Check this list of fuels that are approved for burning in smoke control areas and can be used more widely.

These manufactured solid fuels are exempt from the Ready to Burn certification requirements:

  • Coffee logs
  • Olive logs
  • Wine logs
  • Fuels where they are mostly made of wheat husks, straw, miscanthus, bamboo or compressed food waste.

Coal

The World Health Organization classifies coal smoke as a carcinogen. You can no longer buy the most polluting coal (bituminous/traditional house coal) for domestic use.

If you used to burn traditional house coal, consider switching to alternative types of coal such as anthracite, semi anthracite and low volatile steam coal. These smokeless coals produce less harmful particulates and can be used in smoke control areas.

Further information and useful links

What stove should I use?

There are rules on the types of stoves you should use in smoke control areas if using certain fuels, information can be found GOV.UK.

You may want to consider using an Eco-design stove. Since January 2022, new stoves entering the UK market must be Eco-design compliant. They produce lower emissions and are more efficient than non-Ecodesign stoves and open fires.

Alternatively, contact your stove manufacturer for their recommendation.

Useful links

Find more information and guidance about energy efficiency on the Knowsley Council website.

Downloads

Still not sure if your fuel or appliance is allowed? Contact Environmental Health environmentalhealth@knowsley.gov.uk or telephone 0151 443 4712.

Chat with us