Sussex & Surrey Coppice group (SSCG) 
24.02.2020

Dear Reader,
On Friday 21.02.2020 BBC R2 aired a debate on the lunchtime show.
titled: Burning wet coal and logs. Based on the Defra Consultation ‘The clean air strategy’.

Due the BBC’s cleaver choice of words this provoked a lively debate leaving many affected listeners
and fuel merchants dazed and confused, the Debate referred to The Government’s Clean air act
1956, the consultation paper cleaner domestic burning of solid fuel and wood 2018 and the
summary 2019.

It is the Government’s responsibility to ban the sale of the most polluting types of fuel for the sake of
our health, environmental health the world emission targets and the planet,
So where does that leave us as?

With most regulations set by the Government there will be a transition period for all concerned to
comply to the new regulations and standards, the regulation when it becomes law will most likely
only apply to certain types of fuel, the prior storage, packaging and the sale of the unsuitable &
unseasoned wood to the end user with a moisture content above a set level, in
most cases wood fuel sold is currently under the prescribed moisture content level,
The Sussex & Surrey coppice group advice is as follows:

Do not to panic

When it becomes law the government will allow fuel Merchants time to use up old stock and refine
their practices to comply with the regulations and best practice standards,
After the regulation is passed we will still be able to cosy up in the snug at the pub or at home in
front of the fire with our favourite tipple, full in the knowledge the logs are eco
friendly and responsibly sourced falling within the government guidelines.

For a more in depth discussion of this issue please see Chris Letchfords’ article HERE

Please find the link to the strategy and the National Federations of Coppice workers summary HERE.

and the Defra consultations:
https://consult.defra.gov.uk/airquality/domestic-solid-fuel-regulations/

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/air-quality-using-cleaner-fuels-for-domestic-burning/outcome/summary-of-responses-and-government-response