There have been dramatic improvements over the years in urban air quality through the introduction of smoke control programmes. As a result we no longer experience the appalling smogs of the 1950s and 60s. Attention is now being focused on other pollutants, for example, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and fine particulates (PM2.5 and PM10).
Clean air legislation was first introduced into Northern Ireland under the Clean Air Act (Northern Ireland)1964 to deal with smogs and the high level of smoke in our towns and cities. The legislation was subsequently repealed and updated by the Clean Air (Northern Ireland)Order 1981
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Under the legislation, district councils may, by Order confirmed by the Department of the Environment, declare all or part of their district a smoke control area. The effect of a Smoke Control Order is to prohibit the emission of smoke from chimneys in the area. There are currently 16 district councils on Northern Ireland with smoke control areas in operation and since 1966 approximately 120 Smoke Control Orders have been declared.
The effect of a Smoke Control Order is to prohibit the emission of smoke from chimneys in the area. In smoke control areas, residents are required to use “authorised” smokeless fuels or install an “exempted” fireplace.
- For a fuel to be an “authorised” smokeless fuel it must be tested to show that it produces less smoke than ordinary fuels, when it is burned.
- An “exempted” fireplace is an appliance such as a stove, heater or boiler which has been tested to show that it produces less smoke when it burns certain fuels.
Fuels and fireplaces which have been successfully tested are put into Regulations by the Department of the Environment and these can be viewed on the UK Smoke Control Areas section of the DEFRA website.
As manufacturers produce new fuels and heating appliances, it is necessary to regularly review and update the Regulations. The Smoke Control Areas (Exempted Fireplaces) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 came into operation on 13th December 2010.It consolidates a number of previous Regulations and provides for a number of additional fireplaces to be exempted.
As far as new fuels are concerned, the Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 came into operation on 28th November 2011. These Regulations specify fuels that have been declared as authorised fuels. They consolidate and revoke two existing Regulations, add four new authorised fuels and include another marketing name for an existing fuel.
The current policy guidance on smoke control areas issued in October 2006:
Local Air Quality Management Policy Guidance on Smoke Control Areas (176KB)
Visit the Air Quality Northern Ireland website for further information on smoke control.
Should you require further information, please feel free to contact the Air and Environmental Quality Team at:
Air and Environmental Quality Team
Department of the Environment
Goodwood House
44 - 58 May Street
Belfast BT1 4NN
E-mail: aeqteam@doeni.gov.uk
Tel.: (028) 90 254 758.
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