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A household has been fined £175 for illegal use of a wood burning stove.
The penalty was the first under a crackdown by Wakefield Council in West Yorkshire designed to improve air quality and reduce pollution.
The authority brought in new measures in December to allow environmental health officers to issue fixed penalty notices to stop ‘excessive smoke emissions.’
Current rules restrict the type of wood burners and fuel that can be used in homes.
Wakefield is covered by a Smoke Control Order, meaning only ‘exempt’ appliances approved by Defra can be used in homes and only wood with a low moisture level can be burned.
A report by Jack Hemingway, the council’s cabinet member for the environment and climate change, revealed action to enforce the air quality standards was now being taken.
The penalty for using a wood burning stove was the first under a crackdown by Wakefield Council in West Yorkshire designed to improve air quality and reduce pollution (file image)
He wrote: ‘The owner of a stove has been issued with a financial penalty notice to stop unreasonable and excessive smoke from a chimney serving a stove.
‘The penalty was a £175 fine. It is the first notice served since December 2023 when cabinet agreed to enforce recent changes to legislation brought in to improve air quality and protect health.’
The report will be discussed by full council on Wednesday.
Figures show the council investigated 216 complaints related to domestic chimneys between 2019 and 2022.
When the powers to fine owners of log burners were introduced last year Mr Hemingway said: ‘Ultimately the powers will only be utilised following a verbal discussion and written warning. There is also a full appeals process.
‘But it is necessary to have stronger powers for repeat offenders blighting our communities. The new notices will help to end this nuisance behaviour which emits harmful particles and will improve air quality and public health in the district.’
The council was also recommended to develop an awareness campaign on log burners and the importance of buying the right fuel.
A report said: ‘Whilst the adverse health impacts of smoke emissions are generally accepted, wood burners are perceived to be an environmentally friendly method of heating.
There are believed to be 1.5million wood-burning stoves in the UK, with up to 200,000 sold each year
‘Many people don’t realise that using a log burner can triple the level of harmful pollution inside the home and an open fire can produce ten times as much pollution.
‘Awareness of the exposure that takes place in the home is currently very low.’
Under the new powers, part of the Environment Act 2021, fines start at £175, rising to £300.
All wood burners sold since January 2022 must comply with the new Ecodesign to reduce harmful air pollution. In smoke control zones wood must have a moisture level of less than 20%.
The Stove Industry Association said emissions of harmful pollutants from domestic wood burning fell by 2.7% in 2022.
It added that harmful emissions from an open fire accounted for 13% of the UK total compared to 1.4% for Ecodesign stoves.
There are thought to be 1.5 million wood burning stoves in the UK with up to 200,000 sold each year.