Wet Firewood Ban

Ban On Burning Wet Firewood

Owners of wood burners, stoves and open fires will no longer be able to purchase bagged traditional house coal and wet wood. On the 21st February 2020 DEFRA confirmed that fuel sources of this type will be phased out by the end of this month; a decision made as part of the government’s 2019 Clean Air Strategy to reduce harmful pollution associated with burning wet wood.

Why the Ban?

According to the Clean Air Strategy 2019, air pollution is the top environmental risk to human health in the UK. Burning wet- or unseasoned- wood creates more smoke pollutants known as PM2.5 which are harmful to the body’s lungs and heart and can lead to serious health problems.

Recent advice has claimed that when burned, wet wood releases four times the amount of PM2.5 particles that firewood with a moisture content of under 20% releases. In a bid to reduce air pollutants, the government are therefore encouraging people to move to cleaner alternatives.

What Does This Mean For Owners of Wood Burners, Stoves and Open Fires?

The popularity in wood burning stoves looks only to increase in the UK, providing a source of heat but also a cosy atmosphere in houses across the country. However, in using certain fuels, this also means that they have the potential to be the biggest source of air pollution.

This is not a ban on the use of wood burning stoves, but a ban on inefficient, harmful wet wood fuel sources. “Wet wood” is defined as firewood with a moisture content of 20% or more.

The main changes in the sale of firewood is as follows: - By February 2021 sales of wet wood (less than 2m cube) will be phased out. -

Wet wood in volumes greater than 2m cube can be sold, on the condition that the customer is given detailed advice on how to dry it before burning