Introduction
Some parts of the District have been
designated as smoke control areas. Residents and businesses
in these areas are restricted as to the types of solid fuels that
can be burnt in their properties.
Background
In 1952, London experienced the “great smog”,
a combination of fog and smoke from the burning of coal in domestic
and industrial buildings. It was estimated that as many as
12,000 people died as a direct result of the poor air
quality. It led to the introduction of the first Clean Air
Act which brought in powers to issue orders, designating smoke
control areas. In these areas smoke is not allowed to be
emitted from chimneys.
South Staffordshire Council, and the preceding
local authorities, Seisdon Rural District Council and Sedgley Urban
District Council, made a number of orders which are still in force
in the parishes of Wombourne, Perton, and Himley.
What does living in a smoke control area mean for me?
Many people think that living in a smoke
control area means that you can’t have bonfires. This isn’t
true. If you are having problems with regard to bonfire smoke we have information here.
The order only applies to burning fuel on fireplaces, stoves, in
boilers and other similar appliances. It is in effect
preventing emissions of smoke from chimneys and flues of
buildings.
This is normally achieved in one of three
ways
1. You will be using electricity,
gas or oil to produce heat in your home.
2. You will be burning a solid
smokeless fuel on a suitable appliance
3. You will be burning other
fuel (this may include wood) on an exempt appliance
For details of the current list of smokeless
fuels and exempt appliances please follow the following links
External Link: UK Smoke Control Areas
External Link: Woodstoves
in Smoke Control Areas
Am I in a smoke Control Area?
The following map indicates the location of
the smoke control areas in South Staffordshire. Links to high
definition maps of the areas are provided by either clicking on the
area on the map, or via the links below.
Higher resolution PDFs:
Wombourne (566
KB)
Himley (372
KB)
Perton (430
KB)
Wolverhampton (401
KB)
What happens if you see smoke coming from a chimney?
You should report the matter to our pollution
control team (our contact details are below). Alternatively,
we have an online form to report pollution
here.
The Clean Air Act 1993 sets out the following
offences in relation to smoke control areas: -
- 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
The current maximum level of fine is £1,000
for each offence.
Pollution control - Smoke Control
Telephone: (01902) 696000
Fax: (01902) 696222
Email: envprotection@sstaffs.gov.uk