The Government has confirmed it will review domestic burning emissions levels, sparking fears of new restrictions on the industry.
In an update of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), Defra has this morning announced it will seek to implement ‘further measures to reduce emissions from burning’.
New air quality standards and emissions limits seem likely with the revised EIP seeking new lower limits for a range of pollutants and the promise of a range of new regulations, including the launch of a new air quality alert system by March next year.
The Guardian newspaper claimed the move would lead to a ‘partial ban on stoves’ however nothing in the updated EIP confirms that.
Their article speculates that stoves are likely to face tighter regulations amid moves to reduce PM 2.5 emissions targets further than those set in the 2023 EIP.
The updated EIP says: “Improving the quality of the air we breathe requires action by all tiers of government and wider society.
“Local authorities and their air quality partners have legal responsibilities to improve air quality for their citizens and the powers necessary to do so.
“This government will support councils to continually improve air quality by providing them with clear guidance, advice and tools.
“The burning of solid fuels is a large contributor to national emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and is a major source of air pollution, especially in urban areas.
“The World Health Organisation considers PM2.5 the most harmful pollutant to human health (Air pollution is responsible for 6.7 million premature deaths every year, World Health Organisation (WHO) 2025).
“These particles can enter the bloodstream and internal organs, and there is a growing body of evidence linking exposure with a range of debilitating health conditions including cardiovascular disease and asthma.
“We will consult on further measures to reduce emissions from domestic burning.”
Commenting on the domestic combustion commitments contained in the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2025, Erica Malkin, Executive Director of the Stove Industry Association (SIA), said:
“We welcome the Government’s measured approach to domestic combustion outlined in the Environmental Improvement Plan.
“The EIP recognises that many households rely on solid fuel secondary heating for affordable warmth, energy security, and resilience, particularly in rural and off-grid areas.
“The planned consultation on domestic combustion provides an important opportunity to ensure that future policy is both evidence-based and proportionate. Also, that it acknowledges the contribution to energy security and resilience made by domestic wood burning and differentiates modern stoves from higher emitting forms of household burning, including outdoor burning.
“Modern Ecodesign stoves offer substantial reductions in particulate emissions compared to older appliances and open fires, and the stove industry stands ready to work with Government to raise standards, support consumer best practice and help households make good choices.
“We share the Government’s ambition to improve air quality while ensuring that those who need or want to burn are not unfairly penalised.
“The SIA will continue to engage constructively with Defra to ensure that any future domestic combustion measures are practical, targeted, and supportive of modern, lower-emission stove technology and consumer choice.”