A Guide to New Solid Fuel Regulations  

New regulations regarding solid fuels for domestic heating will apply across the State from 31st October 2022. 

These new regulations will affect householders, retailers and those involved in producing or importing solid fuels. 

Approved solid fuels must be labelled with the words "contents comply with the Air Pollution Act Regulations” and packaging must also include the EPA producer registration number. This is to give the retailer and the householder confidence that the product is an approved fuel. As a transitional measure point of sale information containing the required labelling information can be used for the coming heating season where labels/stickers cannot be attached by the producer. 

Some of the changes that will apply when the regulations come into effect include: 

  • Coal products and manufactured solid fuels must have a smoke emission rate of less than 10 grams per hour – this is the same as currently in force in low smoke zones.  Currently Cavan Town is a low smoke zone. 
  • Coal products and manufactured solid fuels, must have a sulphur content of less than 2%  
  • Fuel products which are 100% biomass products including, wood products and wood logs, supplied in units of two cubic metres or less, must have a moisture content of less than 25%. 
  • Wood logs supplied in units of two cubic metres or more shall be accompanied by a notice outlining 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 media, in public houses or other public places.  If you currently source turf from family, friends, neighbours outside of the channels mentioned this can continue. 

Retailers and merchants will not be permitted to sell unapproved fuels. This means that you should only be able to purchase approved fuels. You may be able to source unapproved fuels outside the State, however it is an offence to transport an unapproved fuel. The packaging of approved solid fuels must be labelled with the words “contents comply with the Air Pollution Act Regulations”, and with the registration number issued to the fuel producer along with details of the product. There will be a transition period where some packaging will not carry the labelling, but the required information should be attached to the product or placed beside the product in the shop. 

The ban on burning was removed from the new regulations to allow householders to burn any unapproved fuel they may have in their homes purchased before the regulations come into effect. However, when these are used up, you will no longer be able to legally buy further supplies of unapproved fuels. 

Retailers should deal only with registered producers of solid fuels. Retailers will need to be sure that each product you offer for sale is provided by a producer registered with the EPA, and that the product is listed as approved by the EPA for that producer. Once the regulations are in force, it will be an offence to retail unapproved fuels. All existing stocks which will not meet the new technical standards should be sold before the regulations take effect on the 31st of October. 

This is currently the most up to date information possible and is not a legal interpretation of the regulations. This information is subject to update and change at any time as new information becomes available. Any additional queries can be directed to solidfuels@decc.gov.ie