RESIDENTS using wood burning stoves have prompted a rise in complaints about smoke pollution in Huddersfield.
As wood-burning stoves become more popular, both Kirklees and Calderdale councils have reported a “steady increase” in complaints about illegal burning of wood.
Now they are staging an event to help stove manufacturers, retailers, installers and solid fuel suppliers make sure they comply with the law.
Almost all parts of Kirklees and Calderdale are designated Smoke Control Areas – making it illegal to emit smoke from a building if the smoke is caused by the burning of unauthorised fuels such as wood or coal.
Wood can only be burned on exempted or approved appliances – broadly ones which burn fuel at a high enough temperature to prevent smoking.
Alternatively, smokeless fuels should be used. Delivering wood fuel in a Smoke Control Area is also an offence.
Wendy Blakeley, pollution and noise control manager at Kirklees, said smoke control legislation dated from the 1950s and was quite complicated for the public to understand.
“You cannot burn unauthorised fuel in a smoke control area unless it is on an exempted or approved appliance,” she said.
“But members of the public are buying expensive stoves, getting them home and finding out that they cannot use them in a smoke control area because they produce smoke.
“We want to help retailers and buyers to make sure they understand the law and they have the right types of stove.”
She said burning wood that was damp would create smoke while wood that had been painted or varnished could produce particulates which were harmful to health.
Clr Mary Harkin, Kirklees cabinet member for environmental matters, said: “Burning wood in an appliance that is not properly designed can produce very high emissions of pollutants, potentially affecting the health of your own household and that of your neighbours.
“Wood is often treated and burning this can release highly toxic chemicals including heavy metals into the air.
“Wood and ordinary bituminous coal are not authorised fuels and if you intend to burn these fuels you need to ensure that you are using an exempt appliance. Such appliances have been fully tested and produce little smoke or harmful emissions.”
She added: “The information event will help the people in Kirklees and Calderdale stay ‘Green and Legal’.”
Some people living in outlying areas of Kirklees without gas supplies were exempted when the smoke control legislation was introduced – but the exemption only applies to them and not to any subsequent occupant of their property.
A small number of named people in the Holme Valley are permitted to burn peat.
Kirklees and Calderdale councils have joined forces with West Yorkshire Trading Standards and environmental improvement group White Rose Forest to stage the breakfast seminar at 8.30am on Wednesday, February 2 at the Textile Centre of Excellence, Red Doles Lane, Deighton.
To book a place, contact Claire Hoyles on 07528 252404 or e-mail Claire.hoyles@kirklees.gov.uk
