Contact Us
If you have any other
queries relating to the Clean Air Act please contact the
Environmental Protection Team on:
Tel: 01638 719733 Fax: 01638 719357
Email:
enviroprotection@forest-heath.gov.uk
Post: Environmental Services, District Offices, College Heath Road,
Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7EY
The Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act (1993)
introduced a wide range of new regulations such as those which
control smoke emissions and the height of chimneys and those
relating to the content and composition of motor fuels.
The control of chimney heights enables local authorities to take
into account a number of relevant factors in determining the height
of a chimney.
Under section 14 of the
Act, unless the height of the chimney has been approved by the
Council and any conditions attached to approval adhered to, it
is an offence to cause or knowingly permit a furnace to be
used to:
- burn pulverised fuel
- burn at a rate of 45.4 kg or more an
hour any other solid matter or
- burn at a rate equivalent to 366.4 kW
or more any liquid or gaseous matter
An application for chimney
height approval must contain adequate information to enable the
necessary calculations to be carried out. Full details on
this are available on request.
The Council must
consider an application for approval for chimney height for a
furnace and give a written decision within 28 days of receipt,
unless it is agreed in writing between us and the applicant that a
longer period is allowed. If we fail to deal with the application
within this time period, then approval without qualification is
given.
Under the Clean Air Act
the Council 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). The current maximum level of fine is £1,000 for each
offence. There are currently no smoke control areas within Forest
Heath.
FAQs
Q. I am looking to install an open fire or log burner in my
house within Forest Heath. Will I need to make an application for
the chimney emissions?
A. No.
Q. Are there any designated Smoke Control Areas in Forest
Heath?
A. No. For further information about
UK Smoke Control Areas follow this
link
Useful Links