Under the Clean Air Act, certain areas of York have been designated 'Smoke Control' areas.
Check if you live in a Smoke Control area
Enter your address in to check whether your property is in a Smoke Control area:
Authorised and exempted fuels in Smoke Control areas
Within these areas:
- you're committing an offence if you allow smoke emissions from a chimney, unless you are using authorised fuel or an exempted appliance
- you must check with your supplier whether any oil or solid-fuel fireplace you're considering installing meets the guidelines for an 'exempted appliance'
- if an appliance is not exempted, you will only be permitted to burn authorised fuel
Please note that the restrictions within Smoke Control areas do not apply to bonfires.
Supply and distribution of wood and manufactured solid fuels from 1May 2021
The Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020 have been made under the Environment Act 1995 and place controls on sale of solid fuels (mineral fuels and wood fuels) for domestic use in England. Local Authorities are responsible for enforcement of the regulations which will take effect from 1 May 2021.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has updated its guidance on the sale of wood, coal and manufactured solid fuels for domestic use in England:
- what you need to do to supply, distribute and sell wood for use in domestic heating appliances in England from 1 May 2021
- what you need to do to supply, distribute and sell manufactured solid fuels for use in domestic heating appliances in England from 1 May 2021