Barry Cope, CEO of HETAS and Woodsure, has commented on the Defra wood burning consultation.
He said: “A wood burner isn’t a fashion accessory you swap out each season – they stay in homes for 15 years or more. Tighter limits on new stoves are welcome, but it will be over a decade before they filter through to most households. If government wants cleaner air sooner, it needs a serious plan for the open fires and outdated stoves in homes right now – including support to upgrade the oldest appliances, guidance on burning better, and education on the importance of chimney sweeping. Without a plan, these proposals are only part of the answer.
“Wood burners aren’t phones – people don’t get a new one every year. Tightening the rules for new appliances will move the needle, but very slowly. Government’s own figures show the gap between old and new appliances is large, and until there is a proper plan for the older ones, the solid fuel burning proposals are only a partial fix.”
Barry added: “The government has proposed mandatory health warning labels for wood burners and fuel, but if the current examples go ahead as drafted, there are some clear issues. They warn people of a health risk without telling them anything they can do about it.
“For example, ‘Warning: there are health impacts of using this product’ doesn’t explain how to reduce smoke or the health impacts. This makes it more likely to be ignored than acted on. A good label should explain the choices people can make and mention the simple fuel and maintenance habits that make all the difference. The messaging is simple. For fuel, burn dry, Ready to Burn wood. For log burners, keep the appliance serviced and the chimney swept. Pair the warning with the fix, and you can make a meaningful difference to what comes out of the chimney.
“There’s a world of difference between someone burning damp or scrap wood and someone burning dry, Ready to Burn wood in a well-maintained wood burner. These new labels don’t recognise this at all.”
He said: “A £2,000 fine is a step forward to make the playing field more level for those who follow the rules; the penalty for selling wet wood has been too cheap for too long. But a fine only deters these bad actors if it is enforced, and we know first-hand that many councils simply lack the resources to take action. Without the staff and funding to check sellers and follow up on complaints, a higher fine risks existing on paper only.”
HETAS and Woodsure noted that the proposals don’t ban existing wood burners, don’t introduce a stove tax and they don’t change smoke control area rules.