Have the definitive regulations regarding firewood?

[cessna]

As above ,have they been finalised/printed . If I GOOGLE  "New rules for burning firewood " all that come up is out of date hype from the media, which to us running a business is useless ,and that is putting it politely!!!!!!!

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by cessna

[Alycidon]

On 08/06/2020 at 22:52, cessna said:

As above ,have they been finalised/printed . If I GOOGLE  "New rules for burning firewood " all that come up is out of date hype from the media, which to us running a business is useless ,and that is putting it politely!!!!!!!

 

They are NOT yet drafted into UK law,  the govt was sidetracked by brexit.   They are Europe wide and come into force Jan 2022.     

 

As far as firewood is concerned the internal moisture level of logs sold in any volume of 2 cu m of less has to be below 20%.     Any green wood sold for self seasoning has to be in volumes in excess of 2 cu m.  I would assume that the buyer of green wood would need to be made aware that the product needs further seasoning and is not ready to burn but I am unsure how that will appear in print.   Thats it so I understand with regards to wood.

 

A

[aesmith]

On 09/06/2020 at 23:21, Alycidon said:

They are NOT yet drafted into UK law,  the govt was sidetracked by brexit.   They are Europe wide and come into force Jan 2022. 

That's interesting, regards it being Europe wide.  I'm not sure why the UK would fall under anything "Europe wide" that doesn't come into effect until 2022, is that covered by some ongoing commitment?     Also the legislation that was being planned would affect England on, or maybe England and Wales.  Definitely not Scotland.

[Woodworks]

Had this email a few weeks ago.

 

Dear All

 

We are writing to you given the interest you showed in Defra’s proposals to encourage the cleaner burning of domestic fuels. We would like to make you aware that the Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020 were laid in both Houses of Parliament on 21 July.  You can find the Regulations on legislation.gov here.  The Regulations state that they come into force on 1 May 2021.  The legislation will need to be debated in both Houses of Parliament before it comes into force and the dates for these debates are yet to be confirmed.

 

 

These Regulations introduce measures to tackle harmful emissions from domestic burning as set out in our Government Response published earlier this year.  You can find the Response at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/air-quality-using-cleaner-fuels-for-domestic-burning/outcome/summary-of-responses-and-government-response  The Regulations will phase out the supply of:

 

• traditional house coal for domestic combustion
• wet wood sold in units of up to 2m³, and
• introduce sulphur and smoke emission limits for manufactured solid fuels.

These changes will be phased in between 2021 and 2023, with all sales of small volumes of wet wood being phased out by 2022 and sales of traditional house coal by 2023.

 

We are not banning stoves or open fireplaces, and these policies do not seek to prevent their use or installation.  Our intention is to ensure people move from burning more polluting to less polluting fuels.  We are encouraging a move from burning wet wood to burning dry wood, and from traditional house coal to smokeless coal and low sulphur manufactured solid fuels.

 

We understand that those who burn coal as a primary heat source are most likely to have their coal delivered by approved coal merchants and will need additional time to switch to an alternative fuel.  This is why we are providing an extended transition period for those who burn coal.  Sales of all bagged traditional house coal will be phased out by 1 May 2021, and the sale of loose coal direct to customers via approved coal merchants by 1 May 2023.

 

The requirement for wood sold in volumes under 2m³ to be dry (less than 20% moisture) will apply from 1 May 2021.  We recognise that small wood producers may struggle to meet the requirements straight away.  Given this, small suppliers will have an extra year to comply (until 1 May 2022).

 

Thank you for your interest in this policy area and for your responses to the consultation.

[jackpease]

Has it been decided how small quantities (eg nets) can be sold by small suppliers? Is it enough to be able to prove that the firewood for sale is <20% moisture content - or does one have to prove it via (say) yearly audits from industry assessors (likely several hundred quid)??
thanks, Jack

[arboriculturist]

6 hours ago, jackpease said:

Has it been decided how small quantities (eg nets) can be sold by small suppliers? Is it enough to be able to prove that the firewood for sale is <20% moisture content - or does one have to prove it via (say) yearly audits from industry assessors (likely several hundred quid)??
thanks, Jack

As Woodworks posted above in his excerpt: 

The requirement for wood sold in volumes under 2m³ to be dry (less than 20% moisture) will apply from 1 May 2021.  We recognise that small wood producers may struggle to meet the requirements straight away.  Given this, small suppliers will have an extra year to comply (until 1 May 2022).

 

" or does one have to prove it via (say) yearly audits from industry assessors "

 

The powers that be can turn up unannounced at any time or following a complaint from a customer with a moisture meter who claims the Firewood sold to them as ready to burn is not below 20% MC.

 

Don't you just love legislation - Grrrrr

 

 

 

 

[Stubby]

10 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

As Woodworks posted above in his excerpt: 

The requirement for wood sold in volumes under 2m³ to be dry (less than 20% moisture) will apply from 1 May 2021.  We recognise that small wood producers may struggle to meet the requirements straight away.  Given this, small suppliers will have an extra year to comply (until 1 May 2022).

 

" or does one have to prove it via (say) yearly audits from industry assessors "

 

The powers that be can turn up unannounced at any time or following a complaint from a customer with a moisture meter who claims the Firewood sold to them as ready to burn is not below 20% MC.

 

Don't you just love legislation - Grrrrr

 

 

 

 

There is a difference between 20% moisture and " ready to burn "  Though .

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

11 minutes ago, arboriculturist said:

The powers that be can turn up unannounced at any time

And they could just as quickly turn around and do one!

 

 

[otter]

And what about when it's delivered at 18% mc.  Then customer leaves on driveway for 3 cold misty winter days and only then gets his aldi moisture meter out and reads 25%,????!!! ? 

[headgroundsman]

1 hour ago, arboriculturist said:

As Woodworks posted above in his excerpt: 

The requirement for wood sold in volumes under 2m³ to be dry (less than 20% moisture) will apply from 1 May 2021.  We recognise that small wood producers may struggle to meet the requirements straight away.  Given this, small suppliers will have an extra year to comply (until 1 May 2022).

 

" or does one have to prove it via (say) yearly audits from industry assessors "

 

The powers that be can turn up unannounced at any time or following a complaint from a customer with a moisture meter who claims the Firewood sold to them as ready to burn is not below 20% MC.

 

Don't you just love legislation - Grrrrr

"Sir can i test some of your ready to burn log to see what the moisture is."

Sorry i just sold the last bag that is ready to burn all these need further seasoning would you like to come back in 2 years?