Wood burner company welcomes new eco regulations
A local company that sells solid fuel burners and stoves across the region has welcomed the introduction of new Ecodesign regulations from January 2022.
Derwas of Welshpool, which sells a range of over 150 appliances including wood burning and multi-fuel stoves and fires is already stocking appliances that comply with the new Ecodesign controls to limit emissions and improve efficiency.
Company owner, Kaye Derwas, said that there had been a huge amount of misleading information about the new regulations with some solid fuel burner owners fearing that their existing stoves would be illegal.
She explained that the controls, introduced as part of the government Clean Air Strategy, would only be applied to new solid fuel burners being manufactured from January 1, 2022. Installers of new appliances after that date would also have to make sure that the new appliance complied with the new Ecodesign regulations.
But stoves produced under the previous regulations could still be sold if they had been manufactured before January 1 2022.
She said the new regulations would reduce particulate emissions, lower carbon monoxide levels and improve efficiency of new multi-fuel stoves and heaters.
“It can only be a good thing for the stove and heater industry to be doing its bit to reduce UK carbon emissions and improve air quality. The new regulations mean that the modern wood burner will be even more energy efficient and produce up to 80% less in particulate emissions than some older stoves,” she said.
She explained that stove manufacturers had already started to produce appliances to the new standard under an Ecodesign Ready scheme.
But the new Ecodesign regulations did not mean that households with older stoves could not use them.
“The main issue around wood burners and air quality is about the fuel which is used, particularly wet or unseasoned wood. New regulations were introduced this year in England to phase out sales of bagged house coal and ensure that wood sold for domestic use is fully seasoned.
“So as long as you are a responsible stove user using only fully-seasoned approved fuels you will not be affected. But if you are replacing your old stove you should check that the new model does comply with the new standards,” she said.
