Sweep Safe’s take on the UK government ban of the most polluting fuels.

Sweep safe fully endorse the government ban on heavy polluting fuels. None of us like to hear the word ‘ban’ but, there is a genuine problem where significant numbers of solid fuel users are either burning wet wood or indeed burning house coal. There is statistical evidence and substantial data evidencing that these practices pollute the air we all breath.

The professional chimney sweeps association within our organisation and indeed the U.K. have been spreading the message of correct fuel type/quality and teaching customers clean burning practices for over a decade and while most listen and take heed, some do not.

We believe that most customers already burn either well-seasoned/ kiln dried timber or indeed smokeless coal. The government intervention will hopefully and quickly persuade those consumers who are currently burning those fuels being outlawed to switch. This action will hopefully prevent us all from being tarred with the same brush so to speak.

Yes, we fully understand that some sweeps and coal merchants have rounds that rely on house coal as a percentage of their income. While we fully sympathise, this announcement is not a surprise to us or other industry bodies. For example, this issue has been promoted to the sweep safe membership for over a year and some members have been very successful in persuading their loyal customers to switch out dirty for clean fuels and adopt very good burning practices.

Creosote is primarily a product of burning wet wood or incomplete combustion. We are confident that none of our sweeps will miss scraping it from flues and chimneys, we all know it is this same tar that is a major cause of chimney fires. Creosote produced in this manner contains high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which us sweeps are exposed too. Good riddance we say.

It is the view of sweep safe that the professional chimney sweep training is the only person with suitable access and knowledge to educate the end consumer of these essential changes and promote; new eco design appliances, servicing, sweeping, clean burning practices and check proper fuel types/moisture content.

Sweep safe will be happy to work with DEFRA or/and local councils on this issue as it is an important one that will affect us all.

Original Source:- Sweep Safe’s take on the UK government ban of the most polluting fuels.