CAEDMON ECO DEISGN SMOKE CONTROL ISSUE No. 02 10/10/2017
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The Clean Air Act 1993 and Smoke Control Areas
Under the Clean Air Act local authorities may declare the whole or part of the district of the
authority to be a smoke control area. It is an offence to emit smoke from a chimney of a
building, from a furnace or from any fixed boiler if located in a designated smoke control
area. It is also an offence to acquire an “unauthorized fuel” for use within a smoke control
area unless it is used in an “exempt” appliance (“exempted” from the controls which
generally apply in the smoke control area).
“The Clean Air Act 1993 and Smoke Control Areas” Under the Clean Air Act local
authorities may declare the whole or part of the district of the authority to be a smoke
control area. It is an offence to emit smoke from a chimney of a building, from a furnace or
from any fixed boiler if located in a designated smoke control area. It is also an offence to
acquire an "unauthorised fuel" for use within a smoke control area unless it is used in an
"exempt" appliance ("exempted" from the controls which generally apply in the smoke
control area). In England appliances are exempted by publication on a list by the Secretary
of State in accordance with changes made to sections 20 and 21 of the Clean Air Act 1993
by section 15 of the Deregulation Act 2015. Similarly in Scotland appliances are exempted
by publication on a list by Scottish Ministers under section 50 of the Regulatory Reform
(Scotland) Act 2014.
In Northern Ireland appliances are exempted by publication on a list by the Department of
Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs under Section 16 of the Environmental Better
regulation Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.
In Wales appliances are exempted by regulations made by Welsh Ministers.
Further information on the requirements of the Clean Air Act can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/smoke-control-area-rules
The Caedmon Eco Design Smoke Control have been recommended as suitable for use in
smoke control areas when burning dry seasoned wood logs and the appliances have been
factory set to prevent closure of the air control slider beyond the 12mm open position and
the tertiary air is factory set at 50% open.
Your local authority is responsible for implementing the Clean Air Act 1993 including
designation and supervision of smoke control areas and you can contact them for details of
Clean Air Act requirements.
