Just one person has been fined for using a log burner in a residential area since Bristol City Council were given new powers to issue on-the-spot fines. Councils in England were given new powers by the Government in 2022 to fine people who are caught burning wood or using a stove that isn’t on a list of Government-approved fuels and appliances.
But despite woodburners and log fuelled stoves being one of the biggest sources of harmful pollutants in Bristol – in some parts of the city more damaging than pollution from vehicles – there has been only one successful attempt to fine someone, and only 14 investigations during 2024, the council has admitted.
The issue the new powers came with no new funding to employ people at City Hall to investigate the issue, and without the resources, council staff receiving complaints have no way of telling whether the fuel being burned inside a home is compliant with the regulations, even if they can work out which chimney the smoke is coming from.
There has been a massive surge in use of log burners in the past 10 or 15 years, particularly in refurbished Victorian terraced homes in many parts of Bristol, and it is an issue that Cllr Kaz Self (Lab, Southmead ) wants highlighting ahead of Clean Air Night, which is this Wednesday, January 22.
“We are at that time of year when the pollution caused by woodburning stoves is becoming more apparent,” she said. “Cold periods often coincide with conditions of still air, pollutants are not dispersed by the breeze and linger close to the ground.
“The campaign group Mums for Lungs report that PM2.5 is one of the most problematic pollutants and has been associated with a range of conditions, including decreased lung development and function, exacerbation of asthma, allergies, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder), pulmonary fibrosis and an increased risk of lung cancer. It is also linked with increased morbidity and mortality,” she said, asking the council exactly how many fines they had issued since the council was handed the new powers.
A council spokesperson said there is no longer a £1,000 fine that magistrates can issue for breaching Smoke Control Orders, and local authorities ‘have no way to evidence what a citizen is burning in the privacy of their own home’.
“There are on-the-spot fines for smoking chimneys,” the council spokesperson said. “The legal process requires the service of a notice-of-intent, before service of a Final Notice (penalty). In most cases the case officer will send a warning/improvement notice initially to appropriately educate the household prior to further evidence being obtained. A notice-of-intent has a 28-day representation period,” he added.
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The council admitted that in 2024, it had only received 14 reports of excess smoke from chimneys, in 2024, the same number in 2023 and 17 in 2022. One person was fined £175 in 2024.
When councils were given the new powers by the previous Conservative government, it came with no funding to actually implement it. The former Labour cabinet member for public health, Cllr Ellie King, described the situation as ‘a bit of a joke’. “It’s a real shame that yet again we’ve got new policy instructions from national government, but not the resources to implement them,” she said back in September 2023. “How are we supposed to do that with the incredible cuts that we’ve had to local government? It’s kind of a bit of a joke, really.”
Former councillor Nicola Beech, the then cabinet member for strategic planning, added: “The policy hasn’t really got any teeth because of the lack of funding. This is a real public health issue. As we see the cost of living crisis hit more, we know people are using inappropriate means to heat and power their homes because they can’t afford any alternative.”
The campaign organisation Action for Clean Air said people needed to ‘have a conversation’ about wood burning. “Burning wood is the most polluting way to heat your home,” a spokesperson said. “Wood burning smoke contains fine particle air pollution (PM2.5), which enters your bloodstream when inhaled and causes heart and lung disease, diabetes, and dementia.
“Wood burning not only harms your health, but also the environment. For the same amount of heat or energy, burning wood releases more carbon emissions than oil or gas, contributing to climate change. We know this information will be new for many people. That’s why we need your help to spark conversations about wood burning, ensuring everyone can make informed decisions about how to heat their homes,” she added.