GB
GB
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Further information on the requirements of the Clean Air Act can be found
here: https://www.gov.uk/smoke-control-area-rules
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
Spartherm appliances that have been recommended as suitable for use in
smoke control areas are identified by a suffix P3 in the model name. These
models are recommended for use in smoke control areas when burning solel
dry woodlogs. Wood briquettes must not be burnt with these appliances in
smoke control areas.
2. FUEL
2.1 WOOD
2.1.1 CO
2
-NEUTRALITY
Wood has no debts to nature. The foundation ‘Wald in Not’ [‘Forest in Distress’]
formulated this very aptly as follows: ‘Wood is stored solar energy’. It is pro-
duced sustainably in our forests from solar energy, carbon dioxide, water and
dissolved nutrients. Heating with wood therefore means heating according to
the cycle of nature. With the help of the energy of the sun and through the
growth of trees in our forests, the carbon dioxide released by combustion is
stored back in the trees’ timber. This timber is then available again as raw
material (also refer to www.wald-in-not.de).
Conclusion: When wood burning, nature remains in balance. German Law leg-
islates for the sustainable management of forests. It therefore makes sound
economic and ecological sense to burn wood in this manner.)
1.1.1 CONVERSION OF CLOSING FUNCTION ON THE
FIRE DOOR
Vertically-oriented Spartherm fireplace inserts are supplied without a
self-closing loading door, while fireplace inserts with hinged doors are pro-
duced with a self-closing loading door. On vertically-oriented sliding fireplace
inserts without self-closing fire doors, the type of door closing mechanism can
be converted into a self-closing one by removing the door counterweights.
Folding fireplace inserts with self-closing fire doors can be converted into
inserts without self-closing fire doors by relieving tension on the door closing
springs.
For the correct conversion procedure for each type of door closing mechanism,
please refer to the relevant installation manual for fireplace inserts.
1.2 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 Wales and Northern Ireland these are authorised by regulations made by
Welsh Ministers and by the Department of the Environment respectively.
