UK bans sale of coal and solid fuels for home combustion – Energy Newspaper

The sale of charcoal, damp wood and solid fuels made for home burning is banned from Saturday in the UK, the UK’s Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced.

In a statement, Devra recalls that burning fuel in homes, particularly with traditional charcoal or wet wood, is a major source of a breathable particulate matter called PM2.5, which are very polluting small particles that affect the lungs and other organs.

This substance has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the most dangerous air pollutant to human health.

On the above note, the British government made it clear that those people who still had wood-burning stoves could continue to use them but would have to find a cleaner alternative fuel, such as dry wood.

It demonstrates that cleaner options are more efficient and economical and indicates, for example, that burning dry wood produces more heat and can reduce emissions by up to 50 percent.

Specifically, restrictions that have come into effect today indicate that it will be illegal to sell bags of traditional charcoal and wet wood in units smaller than 2 cubic meters; Wet wood should be sold in bulk with advice on how to dry it before burning.

Going forward, in addition, all manufactured solid fuels should be low in sulfur and emit only a small amount of smoke.

Products must be approved and graded by suppliers to ensure easy identification and retailers will only be able to sell fuel with the correct label.

“Burning cleaner fuels is a more efficient option for homes in England, helping to reduce our exposure to this incredibly harmful pollutant and benefit the environment,” said State Environment Minister Rebecca Pau in the note.

He added that cleaner fuels “are also better for consumers because they produce less smoke, soot and more heat.”

“This legislation represents the last step in facing the challenges we set ourselves in the Clean Air Strategy, ensuring that we and future generations breathe cleaner air,” added Bao.

Views after:
28