The Smoke Exemption Acts gave local authorities the power to control emissions from both industrial and domestic premises by declaring certain areas to be “smoke control areas”.
The Acts and associated legislation were later revised and consolidated into the “Clean Air Act 1993” which provide the current rules governing the emissions of smoke. The Act allows a local authority to declare districts to be a smoke control area with the power to impose fines of £1,000 on domestic properties emitting smoke. Burning fuels not authorised as being “smokeless” in an appliance that was not permitted to burn unauthorised fuels is not allowed. Appliances with a proven capability for burning unauthorised fuels without producing smoke are classified as being an “exempt appliance”.
We have always been developing products to achieve high efficiency levels and our multifuel stoves have been no exception. The emission of smoke is an indication of low efficiency, we have developed stoves capable of meeting the requirements for achieving the status of an “exempt appliance”. This is an appliance proven to be capable of burning “unauthorised fuels” such as wood whilst not emitting smoke.
With so many people understanding the need to look at sustainable energy it is our intention to provide a range of stoves authorised to burn wood in smoke control areas and we already have several stoves undergoing their independent laboratory tests to allow this authorisation. These stoves are meeting the stringent emission requirements for daily use and, we believe, uniquely for burning wood overnight. Wood is a sustainable fuel and it can be burned cleanly to the benefit of everyone.