As an approved coal merchant, the Pearson Fuels team like to ensure that our clients understand the benefits of investing in a certain type of fuel. After all, traditional house coal, such as bituminous coals, are often more beneficial than firewood for some properties. With this said, the government have recently announced their plan to crack down on the burning of coal for domestic heating in a bid to reduce air pollution. Read on as we go over everything there is to know…

Why is the government banning house coal?

Although the residential burning of coal only accounts for around 4% of national use, the UK government have released their plan to ban the domestic burning of coal by 2023 in order to tackle the damaging affects caused by air pollution. After all, our air quality, health and planet are being impacted by the by-products of coal combustion that are released into the atmosphere and we are edging closer and closer to the point of no return when these affects cannot be reversed.

Will the government ban firewood?

In addition to coal, ministers have also announced their plan to phase out the distribution of wet wood too as this leads to inefficient fires and more toxic gases entering the atmosphere than usual. Whilst this may seem like a negative, unseasoned logs should never be burned by customers. As a result, high-quality kiln dried logs and pre-seasoned firewood will still be available for purchase after the ban.

What alternative fuels will be available?

Coal merchants in the UK have warned ministers that the ban on house coal, which is the most affordable, will affect the poor the hardest as the burning of bituminous fuels can help reduce energy bills by up to 50%. With this said, smokeless coals like anthracite will still be available for purchase after 2023 because they release little to no smoke and have fewer volatile materials. Whilst the cost of smokeless coal is often higher, the fuels tend to burn longer and hotter in comparison.

Although the new initiative may sound drastic, it is safe to say that air pollution is an issue that needs to be tackled sooner rather than later. Luckily, these changes do not affect the sale and distribution of smokeless fuels which means that anthracite and kiln dried logs will not be affected by the ban. To find out more information about the future of house coal in 2023, get in contact with the best coal merchants on the market and speak to a member of the Pearson Fuels team today!