Sadiq Khan: Caller slams Mayor over London pollution

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Strict regulations on the use of household wood burners were implemented in England today as part of the Government’s green initiative. Curbs have been placed on the sale of house coal and wet wood to try and tackle air pollution. There are more than 1.5 million wood-burning stoves in the UK.

Wood-burning stoves and open fires are not being banned, but users will have to find cleaner fuel alternatives in order to fire them up.

The changes mean bags of coal and wet wood which are less than two cubic metres can no longer be sold.

Larger volumes of wet wood must now be sold alongside advice on how to dry it properly before burning it.

Retailers who do not provide customers with the correct information could receive £300 fixed penalty fine from their local authority, or a fine for more than £300 if the offence is more severe.

The new regulations and threats of fines has triggered an angry response from a number of Express.co.uk readers.

Online users voiced their opinions by commenting on an earlier Express.co.uk story posted on Facebook.

One frustrated reader wrote “I’ve had a wood burner for 8 years and to me its free heat so no way would I give mine up.”

A second commented: “Here here mate, just another stealth tax that’s what they’re trying to do, wonder if they will do a scrappage scheme and give people free solar panels or heat pumps.”

A third added: “What a load of nonsense.”

A fourth wrote: “Wow! To have us completely dependent on the grid and the state. They can’t make keeping yourself warm illegal.”

A fifth added: “Not giving up our log burner thank you. Can’t afford to keep the gas on all day when it’s cold.”

The rule change on what fuel people can burn in their own homes is the first to be implemented since the 1950s.

According to Government data, domestic wood-burning in both closed stoves and open fires was responsible for 38 percent of pollution particles under 2.5 microns in size – three times higher than road traffic.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs says burning dry wood compared to wet wood can reduce harmful emissions by up to 50 percent.

The burning of wet wood and coal produces more smoke and harmful particles of air pollution – including PM2.5.

The World Health Organisation identified a pollutant called PM2.5 as the most serious air pollutant for human health.

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Short and long-term exposure to the pollutant can increase the risk of early deaths from respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and increased hospital admissions.

Environment minister Rebecca Pow said: “Burning cleaner fuels is a more efficient option for households across England, helping reduce our exposure to this incredibly harmful pollutant and benefitting the environment.

She added: “We know air pollution at a national level has reduced significantly since 2010 – with emissions of fine particulate matter down 11 percent and nitrogen oxide 32 percent – but there is still a huge amount to do to tackle pollution from all sources, including transport, agriculture, industry and domestic burning.”
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