New Stoves to Carry Health Warnings

New wood-burning stoves and firewood will soon feature health warning labels under proposed government regulations. These labels will inform consumers about the pollution stoves can produce and their potential impact on health, alongside energy efficiency stickers. Ministers also propose a substantial 80% reduction in smoke emission limits for new appliances, from five grams per hour to one gram per hour.

Furthermore, the government is considering a significant increase in fines for fuel suppliers selling damp or smoky wood, raising the penalty from £300 to £2,000. These measures are part of a broader effort to improve air quality, as domestic burning, particularly wood, has contributed to a 36% rise in PM2.5 fine particulate emissions between 2009 and 2020. While welcomed as a first step, some environmental groups argue these proposals do not go far enough to address the harms of domestic burning.