Households in the UK using wood burners could be fined up to £5,000 for breaching regulations under new rules being considered by the government of Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The government has launched a consultation on its Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), which includes proposals to tighten controls on solid-fuel heating.
Proposed Changes to Wood Burner Sales
The draft proposals state that manufacturers of wood burners would be barred from selling older models unless they meet new standards. Burners already in use would not face retrospective prohibition. The proposals also indicate that Smoke Control Areas could be subject to even tighter restrictions.
Some councils have announced plans to expand these zones, meaning more households would be prohibited from emitting smoke from their chimneys and from purchasing or selling unauthorised fuel for use in a smoke control area. Norwich and Brighton & Hove are among the council areas that have disclosed plans to implement such expansions.
Consultation and Impact
Following publication of the updated EIP, the government is expected to launch a consultation on measures to reduce the environmental impact of public wood burning, including stoves and bonfires. The consultation will seek to "minimise the impact" of these modifications on those who rely on wood burning, while introducing measures that enable people to continue honouring traditional celebrations such as Bonfire Night and Diwali.
The government has outlined its ambition to reduce PM2.5 emissions — a fine particulate pollutant linked to asthma, lung disease and heart conditions — by 30% by 2030, measured against 2018 levels. This follows the World Health Organisation's assessment that PM2.5 represents the most harmful pollutant to human health.
Current Fines and Enforcement
Official figures revealed that one fifth of PM2.5 emissions in 2023 stemmed from domestic combustion. There are currently no outright bans on wood burners in the UK, though penalties can be imposed for improper use. Households found burning unauthorised fuel in an appliance not listed on the DEFRA-exempt register could face a £1,000 fine.
Fines could rise to as much as £5,000 for repeat offenders should cases progress to court. However, it was reported in 2023 that there had been just one prosecution and three fines handed out to people using banned wood-burning stoves in England despite more than 10,000 complaints about wood being burned in populated areas since January 2022.
British households are being urged to consider cleaner, low-carbon alternatives to wood burners, including electric heating and heat pumps. The WHO states that air pollution is responsible for 6.7 million premature deaths each year, with mounting evidence connecting exposure to a range of serious health conditions, including cardiovascular disease and asthma.
