Good guidance for homeowners on Clean Air Night

Poor air quality can cause real problems for children, the elderly and people with pre-existing heart and lung conditions which is why tonight – Clear Air Night – people are being reminded about the importance of safe domestic burning.

Many people are choosing to heat their home by burning solid fuels, such as wood or coal, in stoves and open fireplaces and that can be fine as long as they follow some simple guidance – and stay within the law. 

Since last summer, all of Wirral is now covered by a single Smoke Control Order, which allows Environmental Health officers in Wirral to undertake more effective enforcement action and ensure that only approved fuels and exempted appliances are used for domestic burning in the borough. 

This will improve air quality across Wirral and reduce pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) that are damaging to people’s health.

In a smoke control area people cannot release smoke from a chimney. They must only burn authorised fuel, unless they are using an approved appliance – also known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or ‘Defra-approved appliance. 

Authorised fuels include any ‘smokeless’ fuels such as anthracite, semi-anthracite, gas or low volatile steam coal. Unauthorised fuels, such as wood, can only be burned in exempt appliances such as some boilers, cookers and stoves and people should only use the types of fuel that the manufacturer says can be used in the appliance.

The order is in place because indoor, domestic, wood and coal burning appliances are a major contributor to particulate matter emissions in the UK and therefore the quality of the air that we breathe. Particulate matter is made up of small particles that are breathed in and can travel to our lungs and heart.

Poor air quality is proven to have the biggest impact on children, the elderly and those with pre-existing heart and lung conditions, and long-term exposure can increase respiratory issues and impact lung and cardiovascular function. 

However, there are three steps people can take to limit the impacts of domestic burning:- 

• Maintain your appliance - whether you have a log burner, or an open fire or stove, make sure you keep your appliances serviced so they are working as efficiently and safely as they should. You should have a carbon monoxide monitor and have your chimney swept at least once a year.
• Burn less - where the appliance may be your secondary source of heat, consider if you can burn less fuel when you use it as this will reduce the particulate matter released into the air.
• Choose appropriate fuels – you can only burn wood in ‘exempted’ or ‘DEFRA-approved’ applicance. If you can burn wood,only use dry, seasoned wood and avoid burning household waste. An easy way to tell if the wood you are buying is suitable for burning, is to look for the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo. 

Clean Air Night is organised by the Global Action Plan charity.

If you have your own wood store, why not watch the video above where Wirral residents, Nathan and Joanne talk about the benefits of their log burner but also how they look after their log burner so it keeps them warm and safe. 

For more information on domestic burning in Wirral, visit the council’s website.

You can also find out more about the national project on the Action for Clean Air website.