Restrictions on the sale of firewood, manufactured solid fuels and coal sold for combustion in domestic premises
The sale of traditional house coal and bags of 'wet' wood is now banned in the UK. Look out for the government approved Ready to Burn logo when buying small bags of firewood and solid fuel briquettes. This means it has a low moisture content, so it burns more efficiently, with less harmful smoke and air pollution. It is also better for stoves, fireplaces and chimneys, and reduces fuel and maintenance costs.
The Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020 place restrictions on fuel sold for combustion in domestic premises from 1 May 2021:
- firewood sold in units of less than 2 cubic metres must be certified by the Ready to Burn Scheme and the certification details and scheme logo must be attached to the packaging and clearly displayed at the point of sale
- if firewood is sold in units of more than 2 cubic metres, customers must be provided with a notice that explains how to dry, store and check the moisture of the wood before it is used
- all manufactured solid fuels must be certified by the Ready to Burn Scheme and the certification details and scheme logo must be attached to the packaging and clearly displayed at the point of sale. Fuels that are exempt from these certification requirements are coffee logs, olive logs, wine logs and fuels mostly made of wheat husks, straw, miscanthus, bamboo or compressed food waste
- only approved coal merchants can legally sell traditional house coal (also known as bituminous coal) in England from 1 May 2021 up to 30 April 2023. It must be sold loose or in unsealed bags directly to the customer. It will be illegal to sell bagged coal.
Further information is available from the central government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Read to Burn website.