Leading flue,
chimney and renewable heat technology supplier Specflue has defended
clean-burning wood-fuelled stoves following the announcement of a government
consultation on the impact of solid fuel on air quality.
The Department for
Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) is seeking information on the use
of fuels such as wood, house coal and manufactured solid fuel for domestic
heating, and the effect that changes to the availability of these fuels would
have on consumers and businesses.
Ian Sams, Specflue's
commercial director, said: "Even in the face of rising wood burning stove
sales, particulate matter (PM) from wood burning is diminishing, according to a
study from Kings College London published by Defra on January 30 this year.
"As open fires
and older stoves are replaced with more modern appliances, so they produce
lower volumes of PM. New Ecodesign regulations are due in 2022 to encourage
even cleaner wood burners, but industry body the Stove Industry Alliance (SIA)
already has an accredited list of SIA Ecodesign Ready appliances that meet
these regulations now.
"An SIA
Ecodesign Ready stove can slash PM emissions by 90% compared to an open fire,
80% compared to a 10-year-old stove and more than 40% compared with a DEFRA
Exempt stove."
Mr Sams has
encouraged people in the heating industry to get involved in Defra's
consultation: "This is an important piece of work that will affect the
solid fuel sector for years to come because responses to it will influence the
government's Clean Air Strategy due to be published for consultation later
this year. The more input the government recieves the better the outcome will
be."
The consultation
will consider how to encourage consumers to shift from burning more polluting
fuels such as wet wood towards less polluting fuels such as dry wood.
To contribute to the
consultation, visit the website. The consultation closes on the February 27 2018.
