Data has revealed that only four fines were issued out of 5,600 complaints for illegal wood burning in smoke-control areas in England from September 2023 to August 2024. This information was obtained through freedom of information requests by the campaign group Mums for Lungs, highlighting a lack of enforcement of laws surrounding this issue.
A recent survey by Global Action Plan indicated that a significant portion of the UK public, including Londoners, use open fires and wood-burning stoves in their homes despite living in smoke-control areas. These areas have higher pollution levels, requiring the use of government-approved appliances with filters to reduce harmful particles released into the air.
Under the Environment Act, fines can be imposed for chimney emissions or using unauthorized fuel in unapproved appliances. However, enforcement varies across different local authorities, with some being more lenient than others.
Wood burning is a major contributor to air pollution and associated health issues such as dementia and heart disease. Research shows that these particles are linked to various health problems and can have serious consequences on public health.
Government data has also highlighted an increase in harmful emissions from wood-burning stoves, undermining efforts to reduce particulate pollution from other sources like road traffic and energy production.
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2024-12-19 01:00:07
Link from www.theguardian.com