Selling manufactured solid fuels for domestic use in England
What you need to do to supply, distribute and sell manufactured solid fuels for use in domestic heating appliances in England.
Applies to England
A manufactured solid fuel (MSF) is any solid fuel made from coal, wood, plant-derived materials, waxes or petroleum products, mixed with other ingredients.
If you supply or sell MSFs, check the manufacturer’s details and certification number.
If you sell MSFs they must be certified, unless they are exempt. These MSFs are exempt:
- coffee logs
- olive logs
- wine logs
- fuels where the majority of the fuel is made of wheat husks, straw, miscanthus, bamboo or compressed food waste
Manufacturers: getting fuel certified
To get a MSF certified for sale in England email HETAS at smokecontrol@hetas.co.uk.
You must include:
- what your fuel is made of
- how it’s manufactured
- any testing that’s already been carried out
You must be able to prove that your fuel meets the requirements. As part of this you’ll need to use suitable test methods at an accredited test centre.
Find out more about the application process, what documents you must provide and what testing methods should be used.
Smoke control areas
You must also certify MSFs for use in England’s smoke control areas.
Emissions limits
MSFs must meet the following emission limits in order to be certified for use in domestic premises in England:
- contain less than 2% sulphur (by dry ash weight with a 95% confidence limit)
- have an average smoke emission rate of less than 5 grams per hour when tested to the standard testing method of BS 3841
After you apply, you will be told how long it will take to get your fuel certified. You’ll have to pay application fees.
If your fuel meets the legal standards and you’ve paid the fees, it will be certified and you’ll be:
- added to the ‘Ready to Burn’ certified wood fuels list
- given a certificate with a unique ID for each fuel certified
- sent a copy of the authorised ‘Ready to Burn’ logo
Product labelling
You must display your unique certification number on the fuel packaging with the authorised logo and your company name when you sell it.
HETAS will send you a logo pack after you’ve certified your fuel for the first time.
Renewing your certification
Each certificate lasts for 12 months from the date it was approved.
You’ll need to have your product retested at regular intervals, as part of the ongoing fuel certification.
You must pay an annual certification fee before your renewal date.
Suppliers and retailers: checking product labelling
To sell MSFs you must make sure the following details are included either on the packaging, alongside the fuel on the shelf or next to the price:
- approved ‘Ready to Burn’ logo
- manufacturer’s details
- certification number that confirms the manufacturer guarantees their fuel meets emission requirements
If you already have packaging without a logo you can display the logo alongside the fuel on the shelf or next to the price until the packaging is used up. The logo must include the unique certification number and company name.
If you sell online, make sure the logo for each fuel is displayed on the section of the webpage where the fuel is advertised.
Retailers: smoke control area rules
You can only sell MSFs that are certified as ‘Ready to Burn’ for use in a smoke control area.
Check the list of authorised fuels.
Compliance checks
Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the rules. An enforcement officer may check:
- certification details against the certification list to ensure authenticity
- that the fuel sold has the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo, certification number and manufacturer details displayed correctly
- sales records (including sales to third-party retailers)
- how you’re storing fuel (so that you do not sell it to customers damaged or wet)
- delivery records to households within smoke control areas
Fines
You could be fined if:
- you sell unauthorised MSFs to customers
- the fuel does not have the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo or is not labelled correctly
You could get a:
- £300 fixed penalty fine issued by your local authority
- fine of more than £300 depending on the severity of the offence issued by the courts
Last updated 7 July 2022 + show all updates
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Added a new section on rules for retailers in smoke control areas.
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Updated information for suppliers and retailers about displaying product labels.
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Updated packaging requirements for retailers, requirements for selling online and reasons you could get a fine.
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First published.