The "Woodsure Ready To Burn Scheme"????

[headgroundsman]

2 minutes ago, gdh said:

It depends on the boiler, some are designed to take wetter wood. Even then it's better to burn it there than on a traditional log burner because they have systems like turbulators to return the exhaust gases.

Regardless of any of the arguments for or against no one can deny that more heat goes up the chimney than would if it were seasoned properly without a kiln

 

[gdh]

12 minutes ago, headgroundsman said:

Regardless of any of the arguments for or against no one can deny that more heat goes up the chimney than would if it were seasoned properly without a kiln

 

Yes very true. It's more a matter of effeciency in time and space with kiln drying. Obviously you can get it much drier with a kiln but if you have enough sheds/covered space you should be able to get it fine for burning with air drying.

[petercb]

For small suppliers under 600 metre cube per year does not apply until May 2022.

 

Cost are about £120 to join then min of about £385 per year plus testing costs from a quick read on Woodsure and Government websites.

 

2 meter cube plus can be supplied provided info on seasoning wood is supplied.

 

£300 fixed penalty if you are caught not complying with regulations.

 

The Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020

WWW.LEGISLATION.GOV.UK

---

These Regulations are made under section 87 of the Environment Act 1995 (c. 25). They make provision...

 

Woodsure appointed by Defra to run Ready to Burn certification scheme | Woodsure

WOODSURE.CO.UK

---

Woodsure, the non-profit organisation striving to raise the quality of woodfuel in the industry, has been appointed by...

 

[Vedhoggar]

38 minutes ago, petercb said:

For small suppliers under 600 metre cube per year does not apply until May 2022.

 

Cost are about £120 to join then min of about £385 per year plus testing costs from a quick read on Woodsure and Government websites.

 

2 meter cube plus can be supplied provided info on seasoning wood is supplied.

 

£300 fixed penalty if you are caught not complying with regulations.

 

The Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020

WWW.LEGISLATION.GOV.UK

---

These Regulations are made under section 87 of the Environment Act 1995 (c. 25). They make provision...

 

Woodsure appointed by Defra to run Ready to Burn certification scheme | Woodsure

WOODSURE.CO.UK

---

Woodsure, the non-profit organisation striving to raise the quality of woodfuel in the industry, has been appointed by...

 

At min cost of £505 for enrolment in scheme and annual fee some might take the view just pay the £300 fine if caught. 

[arboriculturist]

49 minutes ago, petercb said:

For small suppliers under 600 metre cube per year does not apply until May 2022.

 

Cost are about £120 to join then min of about £385 per year plus testing costs from a quick read on Woodsure and Government websites.

 

2 meter cube plus can be supplied provided info on seasoning wood is supplied.

 

£300 fixed penalty if you are caught not complying with regulations.

 

The Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020

WWW.LEGISLATION.GOV.UK

---

These Regulations are made under section 87 of the Environment Act 1995 (c. 25). They make provision...

 

Woodsure appointed by Defra to run Ready to Burn certification scheme | Woodsure

WOODSURE.CO.UK

---

Woodsure, the non-profit organisation striving to raise the quality of woodfuel in the industry, has been appointed by...

 

Just to save people some time, I have expanded on the key points petercb listed:

 

Cost are about £120 to join then min of about £385 per year plus testing costs from a quick read on Woodsure and Government websites. :

 

It is an application process, where you need to satisfy a list of criteria before Woodsure will consider you for application to start the Certification process.

 

2 meter cube plus can be supplied provided info on seasoning wood is supplied. :

 

SCHEDULE 2

Form of words in respect of wood sold in volumes of two cubic metres or more

If we offer firewood in quantities of 2m3 we will be required by law to present the customer with a document that includes the following wording:

This wood is not suitable for burning until it has been dried. You should not burn wood until it has a moisture content of 20% or less.

Wet wood contains moisture which creates smoke and harmful particulates when burnt. As well as being harmful to your health and the environment, this can damage your stove and chimney and is an inefficient way to heat your home. Dry it in a sunny, well-aired space for at least two years, keeping rain off in the winter.

Radial cracks and bark that comes off easily suggests wood that is ready for burning. Test the wood when you think it is ready for burning, ideally with a moisture meter. First calibrate the meter and then measure a freshly split surface to get the best reading.

 

£300 fixed penalty if you are caught not complying with regulations. :

 

The Planning Authority under the Regulations have the right to visit your premises if they suspect an offence has been committed, so we need to make sure we have ticked all the appropriate Planning Regulations for our Firewood operation.

 

Powers of enforcement

17.—(1) An officer of a relevant local authority may, for the purposes of enforcing these Regulations—

(a)enter a supplier’s premises at any reasonable time;

(b)inspect a supplier’s goods;

(c)make test purchases of a supplier’s goods;

(d)require a supplier to produce documents or to provide information;

(e)question a supplier or officers or employees of a supplier.

 

I hope the above is helpfull to those who have not already read all the info available online.

[Woodworks]

Just had a chat with Woodsure and they were very clear that we dont have to enrol and there are no costs if supplying loads in excess of 2 cube. DEFRA  will be drawing up a letter we need to supply to the customer on how they should dry there logs (delivered at 21%-22%)

 

Thats us sorted thankfully 

 

Might make up a letter to deliver to all customers to alert them of the future changes. probably 2/3 of our logs are sold in 2 cube loads already and it might give others a chance to build some extra storage space

Edited January 11, 2021 by Woodworks

[lux]

Can’t see a huge impact for small producers. Those making something of their arb waste etc.
Big producers / suppliers running kilns will have no issues with Woodsure. They Will be testing logs straight out of the Kiln as their production / turnover will be so high. No chance for the logs to climb above 20% again

Small air dried production is going to be at the mercy of what month they are tested in or the conditions that winter. Very wet autumn / winters will cause problems

As @BigJ said his logs fluctuated by about 10%

Such a load of tosh, we could sell logs from a nice air dried barn store where they sit at 18% let’s say,
Deliver 1.5 cube to a customer who sticks them in a crappy damp log store and they are up to 28% in no time. Still being burnt wet.

Still, it’s here and that’s that. I think for small production poly tunnels must be one of the best options with all that solar drying effect too.

Really can’t see it being policed / invigilated thoroughly. Some might get unlucky and get a random visit but highly unlikely.

I’ll take advantage of the extension and do small production for next year. If sales are continuing to grow ( certainly a spike with lockdown ) I’ll register and have a go at conforming. If it’s a massive hassle I’ll just stop selling and just produce my own supplies. It’ll then all go for biomass ... counter productive for woodsure no doubt.

[arboriculturist]

22 minutes ago, Woodworks said:

Just had a chat with Woodsure and they were very clear that we dont have to enrol and there are no costs if supplying loads in excess of 2 cube. DEFRA  will be drawing up a letter we need to supply to the customer on how they should dry there logs (delivered at 21%-22%)

 

Thats us sorted thankfully 

 

Might make up a letter to deliver to all customers to alert them of the future changes. probably 2/3 of our logs are sold in 2 cube loads already and it might give others a chance to build some extra storage space

Your wood is the best around in your locality already Beau, without the need for you to jump through any hoops.

 

You are very, very fortunate however that 2/3 of your customers will take 2m3, but you realise that of course.

 

Onwards and upwards.

[Woodworks]

7 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

Your wood is the best around in your locality already Beau, without the need for you to jump through any hoops.

 

You are very, very fortunate however that 2/3 of your customers will take 2m3, but you realise that of course.

 

Onwards and upwards.

"Your wood is the best around in your locality already Beau" yet we wouldn't comply! 

 

Yes bloody lucky with the customers we have thats for sure 

[Vedhoggar]

1 hour ago, arboriculturist said:

Just to save people some time, I have expanded on the key points petercb listed:

 

Cost are about £120 to join then min of about £385 per year plus testing costs from a quick read on Woodsure and Government websites. :

 

It is an application process, where you need to satisfy a list of criteria before Woodsure will consider you for application to start the Certification process.

 

2 meter cube plus can be supplied provided info on seasoning wood is supplied. :

 

SCHEDULE 2

Form of words in respect of wood sold in volumes of two cubic metres or more

If we offer firewood in quantities of 2m3 we will be required by law to present the customer with a document that includes the following wording:

This wood is not suitable for burning until it has been dried. You should not burn wood until it has a moisture content of 20% or less.

Wet wood contains moisture which creates smoke and harmful particulates when burnt. As well as being harmful to your health and the environment, this can damage your stove and chimney and is an inefficient way to heat your home. Dry it in a sunny, well-aired space for at least two years, keeping rain off in the winter.

Radial cracks and bark that comes off easily suggests wood that is ready for burning. Test the wood when you think it is ready for burning, ideally with a moisture meter. First calibrate the meter and then measure a freshly split surface to get the best reading.

 

£300 fixed penalty if you are caught not complying with regulations. :

 

The Planning Authority under the Regulations have the right to visit your premises if they suspect an offence has been committed, so we need to make sure we have ticked all the appropriate Planning Regulations for our Firewood operation.

 

Powers of enforcement

17.—(1) An officer of a relevant local authority may, for the purposes of enforcing these Regulations—

(a)enter a supplier’s premises at any reasonable time;

(b)inspect a supplier’s goods;

(c)make test purchases of a supplier’s goods;

(d)require a supplier to produce documents or to provide information;

(e)question a supplier or officers or employees of a supplier.

 

I hope the above is helpfull to those who have not already read all the info available online.

From Schedule 2: "Dry it in a sunny, well-aired space for at least two years" while this may be true for some species and could be applied for mixed loads this is factually incorrect in relation to some species, split birch for example can be brought down to <20% with 6 months during the drying season.