In 2017 Woodsure launched an initiative called Ready To Burn. The Ready to Burn campaign was designed to certify logs that are dry enough to burn. Since then there has been a good level of uptake across the country, with people such as the Mayor of London promoting the initiative, in a bid to help lower pollution around the UK.
The Problem with “Wet” Wood
Wet wood is much less efficient. It produces a much lower heat, increases pollution and should be avoided. Earlier in the year there was a large amount of media coverage, in the London area, with the London Major calling for much tighter pollution controls, including the burning of solid fuels.
We produced an article on this, which outlined how it was in fact open fires, and outdated stoves that was causing the excess pollution, not new, high efficient stoves that are Ecodesign Ready.
However, owners of these high efficiency stoves could be doing themselves, and the environment a huge disservice, by simply not knowing they are burning wet wood.
The Ready To Burn initiative, that is being supported by the DEFRA (The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) is a great way to help educate and ensure the stove owners are not a weak link in the chain, when it comes to efficient stove use and sustainable heating in the UK.
Educating Stove Users:
The Ready To Burn initiative aims to educate stove users, and play up the vital importance of properly sourced, seasoned (or Kiln dried) wood. The key messages that the Ready To Burn initiative wants to cover are, that wet wood:
* Increases pollution
* Produces a poor flame and heat output
* Increases the risk of chimney fires
* Increases the risk of Carbon Monoxide positioning
* Will cost you more money
The Ready To Burn Initiative will make life for busy people easy, when it comes to quickly identifying the right wood for their stove.
Lack of Enforcement:
Burning wood that is not correctly seasoned is a key driver behind solid fuel pollution. Enforcement is a challenge that is lacking, according to Bruce Allen, Chairman of Woodsure and Chief Executive of HETAS, especially when it comes to smoke control areas.
People are able to burn poor quality fuel illegally “safe in the knowledge” they never get caught.
Environmental Standards:
Ecodesign comes into effect in 2022, which will help lower pollution by enforcing tough emission controls on stoves. However, a number of manufacturers including us at Charlton & Jenrick now can say all their stoves are Ecodesign Ready. Being Ecodesign ready several years before it comes into force is testament to the various stove manufacturers that they are leading by example, and are committed to raising the environmental standards associated with burning wood.
These environmental standards such as Ecodesign helps focus peoples attention towards environmentally friendly stove use. This increased environmental focus should also help support the Ready to Burn initiative.. People’s minds will be a great deal more focused on only buying clean burning wood, in a similar way they would, when looking for an energy efficiency label on an electrical appliance.
