Ready to Burn - Ready to Go!

It seems a very long time ago indeed when I, along with other key industry suppliers were invited by the Minister at the time – Therese Coffey to attend a meeting in London to see how the industry was prepared to work with government to address the challenges posed by the issues raised in the Clean Air Strategy – High amounts of particulate emissions from wood burning – PM2.5 (the finer particles) to be precise.

We are proud of the fact that here at Certainly Wood we were already in full compliance those 3 years ago, and whilst many were not, the industry has predominantly risen to the challenge and even a few months ago, you would have been hard pressed to find logs being sold in the multiple retailers or large forecourt chains that is not Ready to Burn approved.

So, it was this last weekend – May 1^st 2021 that new legislation finally came into force in which wood sold in volumes of less than 2m3 must be certified as Ready to Burn by law. Small suppliers, those supplying volumes below 600m3 per annum have until the end of April 2022 to comply. You may also be aware that house coal has been banned as part of the same legislation.

So, were you prepared and are you sure that you now comply?

If I am a retailer such as a garden centre, hardware store, garage, stove retailer or even campsite selling logs can I still sell nets of ‘seasoned logs’?

No, as of May 1^st 2021, it is against the law to sell wood that is not carrying the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo on the packaging.

How do I know if my supplier meets the new Ready to Burn regulations?

They must have their own unique ‘Ready to Burn’ logo which will have the packer name along with a unique supplier number.

Do the new regulations only cover firewood?

No, they include compressed wood heat logs too along with kindling, both of which will be dried to well below 20% moisture content. Other heat logs that are not made from pure wood are exempt from the certification scheme.

If my supplier does not yet have the new Ready to Burn logo on their packaging, can I still sell their products?

Yes, as long as you clearly show on the point of sale their new certification logo. This must be clearly displayed above the product. If they cannot provide this new logo to you, then they will not be registered.

How do I check if my supplier is registered and approved under the new scheme?

Visit the Ready to Burn website for a list of accredited suppliers.

Why is this new legislation so important?

Most importantly it is now law and carries a fine, but perhaps more relevant to us all is that this is aimed at reducing particulate emissions caused by burning wet wood. There is very clear evidence that burning wet wood produces far more particulate emissions that burning logs that are dried to below 20% moisture content.

As a consumer, can I still buy logs from my local supplier?

If they are approved under the Ready to Burn scheme, then yes, no problem. If not, then legally they can only supply you in volumes greater than 2m3 loose fill per delivery. This wood does not have to be dried to below 20% moisture content BUT it must be accompanied by clear instructions on how to dry the wood to the correct level, and finally how to check the moisture content prior to burning. It would be your responsibility to ensure that everything you are burning is dried to below 20% moisture content – If not, then you are liable to a fine by local authorities.

N. Snell
4^th May 2021