The government intends to ban the sale of the most-polluting fuels to tackle worsening air quality caused by the increased popularity of wood-burning stoves. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs unveiled a two-month consultation on Friday on how to introduce tighter restrictions on burning for heating in homes. It includes proposals to phase out the sale of traditional house coal and applying sulphur standards, as well as smoke emission limits, to the sale of all solid fuels. Ministers are also considering tougher regulations to deter the burning of wet wood in private homes, which is less energy efficient than dry wood and produces more smoke. Almost 40 per cent of harmful “particulate matter” emitted in the UK comes from the burning of wood and coal in homes, according to the government – more than double the amount from diesel cars. About 2.5m homes are estimated to use a solid-fuel fire or stove. According to government data, 18 per cent of wood currently burnt in domestic wood burners will be banned under the new rules. The government said that proposals set out in the consultation would prevent 8,000 tonnes of these microscopic pollutants, known as PM2.5, from entering the atmosphere every year.
FT 17th Aug 2018 read more »
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