Smoke Control Areas
Legislative background
The Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968 were introduced to deal with
the smogs of the 1950s and 1960s which were caused by the
widespread burning of coal for domestic heating and by industry.
These smogs were blamed for the premature deaths of hundreds of
people in the UK. The Acts gave local authorities powers to control
emissions of dark smoke, grit, dust and fumes from industrial
premises and furnaces and to declare "smoke control areas" in which
emissions of smoke from domestic properties are banned. Since then,
smoke control areas have been introduced in the UK including areas
of Carlisle. The implementation of smoke control areas, the
increased popularity of natural gas and the changes in the
industrial and economic structure of the UK lead to a substantial
reduction in concentrations of smoke and associated levels of
sulphur dioxide (SO2) between the 1950s and the present day.
These Acts, together with other associated clean air
legislation, were repealed and consolidated by the Clean Air Act
1993 which, together with regulations and Orders made under the
Act, provide the current legislative controls. Control of smoke
emissions may also help reduce emission of a wide range of other
pollutants such as particles, sulphur dioxide, PAH and PCDD/F
(dioxins and furans). which may be present in smoke.
Smoke control areas
Under the Clean Air Act local authorities 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.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
has powers under the Act to authorise smokeless fuels or exempt
appliances for use in smoke control areas in England. In Scotland
and Wales this power rests with Ministers in the devolved
administrations for those countries. Separate legislation, the
Clean Air (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, applies in Northern
Ireland. Therefore it is a requirement that fuels burnt or obtained
for use in smoke control areas have been "authorised" in
Regulations and that appliances used to burn solid fuel in those
areas (other than "authorised" fuels) have been exempted by an
Order made and signed by the Secretary of State or Minister in the
devolved administrations.
Carlisle City Council declared smoke control areas within the
City during the 1970’s.
Maps showing the locations of the smoke control areas in
Carlisle shown below
Authorised fuels
Authorised fuels are fuels which are authorised by Statutory
Instruments (Regulations) made under the Clean Air Act 1993 or
Clean Air (Northern Ireland) Order 1981. These include inherently
smokeless fuels such as gas, electricity and anthracite together
with specified brands of manufactured solid smokeless fuels. These
fuels have passed tests to confirm that they are capable of burning
in an open fireplace without producing smoke.
Fuels
which are authorised for use in Smoke Control
Areas (external link)
Exempt appliances
Exempt appliances are appliances (ovens, wood burners and
stoves) which have been exempted by Statutory Instruments (Orders)
under the Clean Air Act 1993 or Clean Air (Northern Ireland) Order
1981. These have passed tests to confirm that they are capable of
burning an unauthorised or inherently smoky solid fuel without
emitting smoke.
Appliances
which are exempt for use in Smoke Control Areas (external
link)