The new Solid Fuel Regulations came into effect on 31st October 2022 for the entire country which results in a ban on the use of smokey coals in all counties of Ireland. See www.gov.ie/cleanair and S.I. No. 529/2022 - Air Pollution Act 1987 (Solid Fuels) Regulations 2022 (irishstatutebook.ie) for details. 

The introduction of the new Regulations and the country ban on the use of smokey coal will protect human health and the environment and is consistent with Ireland’s climate change strategy and the move away from the use of fossil fuels to cleaner fuel sources.

The government has a dedicated website for public information on the use of sold fuels.

Under the Regulations, the following obligations and restrictions will apply from 31st October 2023.

• Coal products and manufactured solid fuels must have a smoke emission rate of less than 10g/hour.
• Manufactured part biomass products must have a smoke emission rate of less than 5g/hr.
• Coal products and manufactured solid fuels, including manufactured part biomass products, must have a sulfur content of less than 2% by weight on a dry ash-free basis.
• Fuel products which are 100% biomass products including wood products and wood logs, supplied in units under 2m³, must have a moisture content less than 25%.
• Wet wood sold over these volumes will be required to come with instructions for the purchaser on how to appropriately dry the wood i.e., the need to store and season wet wood until it is sufficiently dried.
• It will not be possible to sell turf via retail, online or other online or media outlets, in public houses or other public places. Persons with turbary rights may continue to cut turf for their own use and retain the ability to gift turf, therefore if you currently source turf from family, friends, neighbours, outside of the channels previously mentioned this can continue.

EPA Registration for Solid Fuel Retailers 

FAQ - What the new regulations mean to Retailers

FAQ - For Producers or Importers

FAQ For Couriers And Haulage Companies

Meath County Council shall be responsible for enforcing these regulations in its functional area. Compliance Inspections are being carried out by Meath County Council’s Waste Enforcement Officers, particularly in respect of retailers, coal merchants and coal delivery trucks.

General Public: Information

You may not burn bituminous coal, which is often marketed as “Polish Coal”, “Columbian Coal”, “Texan Coal”, “Russian Coal”, “Premium Coal” or “House Coal”. In addition, you may not burn waste timber particularly that which has been treated, painted, varnished, lacquered, glued, or had any similar substance added, as this causes the release of toxic and cancer-causing air pollutants. Where wood logs/blocks are used, these should be dry, to improve energy efficiency and to avoid excess emissions of creosote, which can build up in your chimney and lead to chimney fires. A creosote chimney fire can burn hot enough to crack a chimney flue or even the chimney breast

How do I know if my fuel is an approved low smoke fuel? 

All fuel which is sold as “low smoke coal” should come in sealed bags carrying the wording “APPROVED FUEL - Contents comply with the Air Pollution Act Regulations”.

FAQ - What the new regulations mean to Householders

If you wish to make a complaint about a retailer selling smokey coal in your area or are concerned that smokey coal is being sold illegally in your area please contact the Environment Section of Meath County Council on 0469097200, email environment@meathcoco.ie or post complaint to Environment Section, Buvinda House, Navan, Co Meath.

General Public: Health Implications of burning Fossil Fuels

Ireland’s air quality is generally good and compares well in comparison to other EU countries. There are 3 key pollutants that affect air quality:

Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10) in relation to ambient air quality. This pollutant is associated with residential burning of solid fuels.

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) – in relation to both ambient and total emissions. This pollutant is associated with mainly transport in urban areas

Ammonia (NH3) – associated mainly with agriculture

Pathways and Impacts of Air Pollution (source - Clean Air Strategy for Ireland, 2023)

Fine particles (PM2.5) released during the burning of smoky coal can spark asthma attacks, and can cause a range of respiratory problems such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis (which affects one in four children under the age of two), pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and others. PM2.5 has also been associated with strokes, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular conditions. The burning of smoky coal affects the external environment, but also the internal environment of homes where it is burned. 

Meath County Council Climate Change modelling estimates that 7 new cases of asthma and 4 cases of diabetes (type II) occurred in the town of Trim in 2022 due to air pollution.

Meath County Council Climate Change modelling estimates that approximately 3 strokes and 4 deaths due to heart disease occurred in the town of Trim in 2022 due to air pollution.

Hospitalisations and associated healthcare due to Air pollution illnesses cost the HSE significant amounts of money every year. Please see link to HSE Air Quality Health Impacts webpage; Air Quality - HSE.ie

General Public;  Measures being taken by Meath County Council 

Meath County Council Climate Action and Environment Section have funded the provision for an ambient air monitoring station in Trim, Co Meath. Real-time data can be downloaded to show the status of your air quality at any given time. Access to this data for the Trim town residents, in particular those suffering with pulmonary illnesses will help you make informed decisions on your lifestyle choices and hopefully improve your overall health. 

In 2023, Meath County Council undertook a coal sampling programme and will continue and increase the number of coal samples taken from retail outlets and merchants in 2024. Analysis for sulphur % and compliance with the Air Pollution Act 1987 (Solid Fuels) Regulations 2022 will be assessed. 

Meath County Council have initiated carrying out surveys of households within towns in Meath where the air quality is known to be poor and a high rate of complaints have been received in relation to air quality concerns. 

Meath County Council are engaging with retailers, coal merchants and coal distributers on an ongoing basis to increase compliance with the Solid Fuel Regulations and improve the overall air quality for residents of Co Meath.

See data links to data;

Maps: All areas - Meath Environmental Platform.

Community Funding and Initiatives

Air monitoring page on EPA website to show air quality in your county.

FAQs (eg. Householder, retailers, etc) published by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications can be viewed on www.gov.ie/cleanair

General Public; Disposal of Waste by Burning

Householders should be aware that burning any type of waste in a domestic fire is illegal and leads to the release of toxic substances into the air in your home and the surrounding environment. Treated timber, which contains glues, resins, and paints, should also never be burned in a domestic fire for the same reasons. It is an offence to burn any type of domestic waste under the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal By Burning) Regulations 2009.

https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2009/si/286/made/en/print

General Public;  Disposal of Green Waste

Under the Waste Management (Prohibition of Waste Disposal By Burning) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, the disposal of waste by uncontrolled burning is an offence. Controlled Burning of Green Waste permission expired on 31st December 2022.

Garden Waste Burning new regulations