What is the Cleaner Choice scheme?

In line with on-going government strategies to promote cleaner air and to better support consumer decisions in the purchase of environmentally responsible products, HETAS has launched the independent “Cleaner Choice” initiative for UK biomass and solid fuel products. These developments aim to reform the currently recognised HETAS Product Approval Scheme, to align with changing legal requirements as well as keeping up with demand from consumers for appliances that can be utilised for the environmentally responsible and safe burning of cleaner and lower carbon fuels. Air quality and carbon reduction is more than ever a topic of conversation with consumers contacting HETAS for advice on their appliance choice. These changes will affect the range of appliances we will certify moving forward to publicly list and better promote cleaner burning and efficient biomass appliances, surpassing current government clean air requirements.

Additionally, in response to consumer demand driven by some confusing media coverage and after consultation with our installers and other stakeholders, we are updating our scheme to highlight the appliances, which are verified through appropriate test data, to emit lower levels of particulates, including PM2.5’s.

To achieve this, we have set a lower level of particulate emissions than the most stringent legislation requires within current Smoke Control Areas. This now means that a stove must meet both the current requirements for exemption and have attained listing on the DEFRA website, whilst also achieving at least a 50% improvement on current particulate limits for exemption, when measured using the more robust test methodology recognised within the UK. In doing this we hope to demonstrate to buyers that appliances can be used to burn fuels responsibly and operated in a way that reduces smoke (particulate) emissions. For biomass boilers, already having greater levels of combustion controls, they must demonstrate that they too meet the same stringent emissions standards and are exempted for use in smoke control areas where legally required.

With so much misunderstood and misleading messaging from some media, it is vital that we promote the cleaner burning appliances and advise the many consumers contacting us and reading our messages, to purchase and use the cleanest of appliances in an easy to understand and transparent format. This will help better protect the future of wood burning, which of course offers lower carbon options and a sustainable fuel source as well as, in this case, guiding consumers to the cleanest burning appliances.

With the major criticism of wood burning being centred around the emission of harmful particulate matter, or smoke, this initiative provides clear guidance and choice from a range of appliances that can be relied upon for responsible burning.