Consultation outcome

Air quality: using cleaner fuels for domestic burning

This consultation has concluded

Download the full outcome

Detail of outcome

We received 500 responses to this consultation. We plan to introduce the following one year from now:

  • a ban on all pre-packaged traditional bituminous house coal
    • a ban will apply on loose sales via coal merchants at a later date
  • wood sold in single units under 2m3 (loose stacked) must have a moisture content of 20% or less
  • a national requirement for certified controlled sulphur content and a smoke emission limit on manufactured solid fuels (currently applies in Smoke Conrol Areas)

Detail of feedback received

We are currently analysing the consultation responses, and intend to publish our formal response to this consultation later this year.


Original consultation

Summary

Seeking views on our proposals to help households change to cleaner fuels for domestic burning of wood and solid fuels.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

We want to know what you think about our proposals for helping householders move to cleaner fuels for domestic burning. The changes we propose include only allowing the sale of cleaner solid fuels. These proposals apply to England only.

Domestic burning is the single largest source of harmful particulate pollution in the UK. Many people do not realise that there are cleaner alternatives, such as dry wood instead of wet, or low-sulphur smokeless fuel instead of coal.

Documents

Published 17 August 2018
Last updated 21 February 2020 + show all updates
  1. Added the summary of responses and government response, the BSRIA report on heat output tests and impact assessment.

  2. First published.