HETAS Urges Homeowners to Pledge to Burn Better this Clean Air Day

With this year’s Clean Air Day marking its 6^th anniversary, HETAS the not-for-profit organisation is encouraging homeowners to make their pledge to burn better to ensure a cleaner environmental for everyone.

Clean Air Day takes place on Thursday 15 June 2023 and is the UK’s largest air pollution campaign. Every year, air pollution causes up to 36,000 deaths in the UK^[1] and with this year’s theme encouraging people to make a ‘pledge’ and get involved, solid fuel and biomass organisations HETAS and Woodsure are urging those with solid fuel appliances to help make a difference today. 

In support, group CEO Bruce Allen has provided three simple pledges homeowners can make to start improving air quality. 

Bruce says: “We all breathe the same air – every individual’s actions count, no matter how small. By making conscious choices in our daily lives and supporting policies that promote cleanliness and environmental protection, we can contribute to a healthier future for ourselves and the planet.

The UK government has made it clear that there are no plans to ban domestic burning in the near future. While this is comforting news for those reliant on solid fuel, it doesn’t mean that stove owners have no action to take. The focus this Clean Air Day 2023, is that we all need to ‘Learn, Act, Ask’. Educating yourself on how you can burn better is the first step you can take in improving the air around us.

Acknowledging that we all need to work together is crucial for our well-being as individuals and for the overall health of our environment. Here are some reasons why this Clean Air Day we are encouraging homeowners to pledge to:

1. Learn how to burn better

Knowledge is power and homeowners who take the time to learn the best practices of burning can really start to make a change to the air we all breathe. For example, it can be tempting, when temperatures suddenly drop to leave your stove on a low output to bring a little heat to the home and avoid having to relight it in the morning. This should not be done unless your stove has been specifically designed to do so. Slumbering is not an environmentally responsible way of operating and can lead to incomplete combustion. This means more soot will form, as well as increased levels of carbon monoxide and particulate emissions. More information on how to burn better can be found on the HETAS Advice Hub.

2. Ask for Ready to Burn certified fuel

If you are using a solid fuel stove, choosing a Ready to Burn certified fuel gives you the reassurance that you are complying with Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020. These laws banned the sale of wet wood as it is in fact one of the most polluting fuels. By choosing a fuel that is Ready to Burn, not only will you be complying with the legislation, but you can also have peace of mind that you are making the cleaner choice when it comes to the emissions from your appliance. Look out for the Ready to Burn logo so you can be sure the wood is certified and has a moisture content of less than 20%. 

3. Act Now and Book your Sweep and Service

Whichever solid fuel appliance you have in your home, it is important that you arrange an annual service to ensure it continues to work as efficiently as possible. Appliances that are not functioning properly can result in more harmful emissions being released (polluting the environment further), as well as reducing the air quality in your home. HETAS registered technicians, installers and sweeps are trained and assessed regularly, meaning you will be getting work of the highest quality, backed by the most up-to-date knowledge. You can search on the HETAS website to find a registered business close to your postcode.

There is often a level of guilt that is associated with being reliant on solid fuel burning in a domestic setting but ensuring that these small steps are followed can really help reduce the carbon footprint of your home, especially for those who have no other means of heating.

For more information visit the HETAS website.