Small-scale wood fuel suppliers in England have until 30 April 2022 to comply with the Ready to Burn certification scheme, after which the extra year granted to them to prepare for the regulations ends1. The deadline applies to suppliers who sell less than 600 cubic metres of wood a year1.
The rules sit under the Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 20201. From 1 May, wood fuel sold in volumes of less than 2 cubic metres must be certified as Ready to Burn, confirming a moisture content of 20 per cent or less3. This covers firewood in single retail bags, firewood supplied as a bulk delivery in loose volumes under 2 cubic metres, wood briquettes in single retail bags, and wood briquettes supplied as bulk loose volumes under 2 cubic metres3. Sales of 2 cubic metres or more do not need certification, but suppliers must give customers a notice explaining how to dry, store and check the wood3.
Larger suppliers faced the first deadline in May 20211. The regulations apply only to England and only to domestic premises, with consultations and plans under way in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland3. Local authorities enforce the rules and can issue a £300 fixed penalty fine, or a fine of more than £300 depending on the severity of the offence issued by the courts3.
Separately, changes to the Renewable Heat Incentive affecting accredited Biomass Suppliers List fuel suppliers took effect on 1 April 20221. All woodfuel must meet EN 15234-1: 2011, ISO 9001: 2015 or EN ISO 17225-4: 2014 or an equivalent, while wood pellets must meet ENplus A1 or equivalent, certified by the Woodsure Certification Scheme or an equivalent1.
"Smaller suppliers, those who supply less than 600m 3 a year, were given an extra year to prepare for the regulations but this comes to an end on 30 th April 2022."
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Moisture content | 20% or less for wood sold in volumes under 2m31 |
| Certification body for wood | Woodsure, the only approved wood certification body appointed by Defra3 |
| Labelling | Ready to Burn logo, supplier's company name, unique certification number3 |
| Enforcement | Local authorities2 |
| Penalty | £300 fixed penalty, or more than £300 through the courts3 |
Why it matters for households
For a household burning wood, the certification mark is the visible signal that a bag or loose load has been independently verified as having a moisture content of up to 20 per cent1. Wet wood burns with more smoke and gives less heat, so the standard bears directly on how much useful heat a given volume of fuel delivers1. Households buying in small volumes, the single bags and loose loads under 2 cubic metres that most domestic buyers use, are the ones covered by the certification requirement3. Buying in volumes of 2 cubic metres or more is not covered by certification, but the supplier must still hand over drying and storage instructions3. For homes in smoke control areas, the regulations add a further layer, since manufactured solid fuels must also be certified for use there3. The rules do not extend to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, where consultations and plans are being made3.
What happens next
The Environment Act passed into law in November 2021, setting legally binding long-term targets to improve air quality and reduce fine particulate (PM2.5) emissions by October 20221. HETAS states that a new research project is under way to give greater clarity to figures on the contribution domestic burning of wood and coal makes to particulate emissions1.