The regulations surrounding domestic solid fuels are set to change from 1 May, with retail businesses in England, including convenience stores, banned from selling traditional house coal (bituminous coal).
All manufactured solid fuels must be certified for use to be legally sold, with the exception of ‘exempt’ fuels. Wood sold in volumes under 2 cubic metres must be certified as ‘Ready to Burn’.
To be sold correctly, the approved Ready to Burn logo must be displayed along with the manufacturer details, and unique certification number for solid fuels and wood. This should either be attached to the packaging or can be displayed at point of sale.
The Defra certification checking tool can be found here.
The unauthorized sale of domestic burning fuels, or incorrect labeling of the fuel, could attract a £300 fixed penalty notice (FPN) issued by the local authority or a more substantial fine issued by the courts
An ACS advice says that the information required to be displayed at POS should ideally be located next to the pricing label or on the shelf for in-scope fuels.
It is also important that the wood is stored properly, so that it is not sold to customers if damaged or wet. To prevent wood from becoming damaged or wet, it is recommended that it is stored indoors, off the ground or undercover and stock should be rotated so that older stock is sold first.
“It is important that retailers familiarise themselves with the changes regarding the storage and sale of domestic solid fuels, to ensure that they are compliant for when the regulations come into force next month,” James Lowman, ACS chief executive, said.
To use this website you must be aged 18 years or over. Please verify your age before entering the site.
