The government led by Andy Burnham has issued an update on potential changes to wood burner and log burner regulations. The Labour administration has been consulting on proposals to limit emissions from new wood burning stoves, and any final decisions now rest with the Prime Minister.
Consultation and Proposed Measures
The previous government under Sir Keir Starmer had considered stricter restrictions, including tighter emissions limits for new appliances, warning labels, and higher fines of up to £2,000 for businesses selling wet wood. However, all decisions now fall to Mr Burnham, who succeeded Sir Keir.
In a statement on July 29, following Mr Burnham's appointment as Prime Minister, a government spokesperson told Country Living: "We are committed to improving air quality to benefit public health, the environment and the economy."
No Requirement to Remove Existing Appliances
The spokesperson added: "As part of this drive, we have recently consulted on proposals to limit emissions from all new wood burning stoves." They also stressed: "It is important to note that our proposed policies will not require anyone to remove or replace their existing appliance."
Reactions to the Update
The update comes as the nation experiences its fifth heatwave of a long summer. Emma Howard Boyd, former head of the Environment Agency and now a professor in practice at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, said: "As the prime minister tours every region of the UK, it will be hard to miss the impacts of this extraordinary summer: wildfires, drought, parched farmland and people struggling to work in extreme heat." She urged the government to "act with urgency" on the climate crisis.
Mike Childs, head of policy at Friends of the Earth, said it was time for Mr Burnham to "end his silence on the climate emergency". The remarks follow a "reality check" delivered by Green party leader Zack Polanski days earlier.
