There’s been a recent flurry of news stories in the UK about the future of wood stoves in England.
On December 1, Defra (the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs) released a new Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) for England. One of the Plan’s stated goals is to “achieve clean air.”
A lowered annual PM2.5 target
Under the Plan, the annual air quality target will be lowered to 10 μg/m3 by 2030. This standard will align with the EU’s, but, notably, is still double the World Health Organization’s recommended annual PM2.5 guideline of 5 μg/m3.
Solid fuel burning: a large contributor to national emissions
Several priority areas to improve air quality were outlined, including domestic solid fuel burning.
Defra notes in the EIP:
The burning of solid fuels is a large contributor to national emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and is a major source of air pollution, especially in urban areas. …These particles can enter the bloodstream and internal organs, and there is a growing body of evidence linking exposure with a range of debilitating health conditions including cardiovascular disease and asthma. We will consult on further measures to reduce emissions from domestic burning.
The mention of reducing domestic burning emissions caught the attention of the media and others.
Wood stoves “up in smoke”?
The Guardian, for instance, announced, “Wood-burning stoves could face partial ban in Labour’s updated environment plan.” Other outlets ran similar pieces. Even the BMJ posted an article, “Wood burning stoves could go up in smoke in air pollution crackdown.”
Given the outsized contribution that wood stoves make to air pollution, this assumption made sense.
A closer look…
But a closer look at the EIP and subsequent coverage has made it clear that relief from wood smoke is unlikely any time soon in England.
Defra states in the EIP that they will:
Consult on new measures that cut emissions from domestic combustion, whilst minimising the impact on those that need to burn…
Wood smoke in Smoke Control Areas
Under the Clean Air Act of 1956, Smoke Control Areas (SCAs) were established in larger towns and cities in the UK. Currently, it is legal to burn wood in a Smoke Control Area as long as a Defra-certified stove is used.
As wood burning has grown in popularity, this loophole has led to increasing wood smoke pollution in SCAs, where even blatant violations are rarely enforced.
In an article about the EIP, researcher Dr James Heydon pointed out:
SCAs were designed to reduce visible smoke, not invisible PM2.5. Modern ‘Defra-approved’ and ‘EcoDesign’ stoves are exempt because they emit less visible smoke. But even under ideal operating conditions, they still emit significant levels of PM2.5.
They also emit even more of the smallest ultrafine particles, PM0.1, compared to older non-certified wood stoves.
Dr Pete Knapp (who is a DSAWSP board member) pointed out in Air Quality News:
The report does nothing to address the expansion of SCAs, enforcing them, the ultrafine particles coming from so-called Ecostoves, or financially supporting people who currently rely on this form of heating to move to cleaner alternatives.
Dr Knapp noted the situation is even worse outside SCAs, where there are no restrictions on burning.
Business as usual
The day after the Environmental Improvement Plan was released, Defra clarified to The Independent that they are not planning to ban domestic burning “by geographical area, or to seek a ban on the use of older stoves that have already been sold.” Nor are they planning to change the rules in Smoke Control Areas.
“Those using stoves that comply with current SCA rules will not have to stop using them.”
In other words, despite its stated goal to reduce air pollution, the Environmental Improvement Plan—at least as currently envisioned by Defra—isn’t going to do much to help people in smoked-out areas.
Note: We have received personal stories from residents in Smoke Control Areas. If you are affected by wood smoke in an SCA—or anywhere in the UK—we’d like to hear from you! Please consider sharing your story too.
