Ready to Burn Scheme
The Ready to Burn Scheme makes it easy for people to find the cleanest fuels for burning at home.
Using fuels that are approved and labelled as Ready to Burn means it’s easy to comply with Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020. These regulations outlaw the sale of wet wood and house coal, which are the most polluting fuels.
Ready to Burn Scheme Registration for businesses
A trader who intends to supply a relevant unit of wood, (and is the first point in the chain of supply in respect of such wood), must apply to an approved wood certification body for a certificate.
The Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) appointed HETAS and Woodsure to run the Ready to Burn fuel certification scheme.
If you are a third-party seller, you must contact your supplier to ask about their certification mark and permission to use it. It is important you verify this information.
Regulations for traders
Guidance for traders on what different fuels can be sold to homeowners and how to comply with the regulations
From 1 May 2023 all sales of traditional house coal were banned in England.
It is illegal for all businesses, including Approved Coal Merchants, to sell house coal for domestic burning.
From 1 May 2021, you can only supply or sell wood fuel in volumes of less than 2 cubic metres, if it is certified as ‘Ready to Burn’. This confirms it has a moisture content of 20% or less.
The Ready to Burn certification scheme applies to:
- firewood in single retail bags
- firewood supplied as a bulk delivery in loose volumes of less than 2 cubic metres
- wood briquettes in single retail bags
- wood briquettes supplied as a bulk delivery in loose volumes of less than 2 cubic metres
There is no need to get wood fuel sales of 2 cubic metres or more certified. However, you must include a note when you deliver the wood to explain it is dry.
Suppliers who sell wood in volumes of 2 cubic metres or more must provide customers with a notice that explains how to dry, store and check the moisture of the wood before it is used, even if the wood is below 20% moisture content.
Selling wood in volumes of 2 cubic metres or more in England: customer notice - GOV.UK
If you supply or sell MSFs, check the manufacturer’s details and certification number.
If you sell MSFs they must be certified, unless they are exempt.
These MSFs are exempt:
- coffee logs
- olive logs
- wine logs
- fuels where the majority of the fuel is made of wheat husks, straw, miscanthus, bamboo or compressed food waste
Selling manufactured solid fuels for domestic use in England - GOV.UK
Sellers and retailers: storing and labelling
Wood certified as Ready to Burn has a guaranteed moisture content of 20% or less.
Storing wood
You must make sure you store the wood properly. You must not sell it to customers damaged or wet. You can do this by storing the wood indoors, off the ground or undercover. Rotate stock so that older stock is used up first.
Woodsure have produced a handy video with some tips on storage with some additional guidance: Checking moisture content of firewood | A Woodsure guide.
Labelling
The wood must be correctly labelled when it is sold to third-party sellers and final customers. You must make sure the following details are either attached to the wood packaging, displayed alongside it on the shelf or next to the price:
- approved ‘Ready to Burn’ logo
- supplier’s company name
- unique certification number
If you are a third-party seller, you must contact your supplier to ask about their certification mark and permission to use it. It is important you verify this information before displaying it at your site. You can check the supplier’s details and certification number on the Woodsure website.
If you sell online, you must make sure the Ready to Burn logo is displayed on the section of the webpage where the fuel is advertised.
Compliance checks
Local authorities (Trading Standards Officers) are the body responsible for the enforcement of the regulations.
When you are visited by an Enforcement Officer, they may check:
- small bags of wood are sold with the Ready to Burn logo
- The certification number and supplier or manufacturer details are displayed correctly
- Check the certification details against the certification list
- Ensure correct information on drying is provided to customers for wood fuel volumes of 2 cubic metres or more
- Inspect sales records (including sales to third-party retailers)
- Assess how you’re storing wood to ensure that you aren’t selling it to customers damaged or wet
- Inspect delivery records to households within smoke control areas
- Test a selection of wood on your site to ensure it has a moisture content of 20% or less
Fines
You could be fined if:
- you sell unauthorised fuel
- you’ve stored fuel so it has a moisture content of more than 20%
- the fuel does not have the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo or is not labelled correctly
- you are found to be in breach of the AirQuality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020
Local
Authorities can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice of £300, however, a fine of more
than £300 may be issued by the Court depending on the severity of the offence.
Related websites
- Ready to Burn | Administered by Woodsure on behalf of Defra
- HETAS Ready to Burn | A look at the regulations in more detail
- The Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020
For further information contact Trading Standards at the Isle of Wight Council, email: trading.standards@iow.gov.uk