Can I Still Have A Coal Fire?

Most of you will have heard that coal was banned from the first on May 2021. So this means that you can’t have a coal fire any more right? Wrong!

The media was very one sided reporting “the coal ban” unfortunately, so many consumers are now in doubt that they can still even have a fire. Lots of people are under the impression that solid fuel has been banned and that they are going to have to remove their beloved fireplace and replace it with an electric radiator!

On May the 1st 2021 the Clean Air strategy banned bituminous coal and non approved briquettes for sale in England. Coal is actually banned in two stages. The first being from 1/5/2021, no longer will you be able to purchase prepackaged coal or coal from any cash and carry outlet such as garage forecourts. Registered coal merchants can continue to deliver bituminous coal to houses and business premises until 2023.

In this two year period, your coal merchant will help educate you on the benefits of manufactured solid fuels because they are not only much better for the environment, they are also more cost-effective than both coal and wood.

Manufactured solid fuels are made from a variety of ingredients but predominantly low sulfur pet coke or anthracite duff. These are much less damaging to the environment and you will be able to burn these for the foreseeable future.

There are a wide array of different briquettes available, all have their own benefits and drawbacks. Your coal merchant should be able to help you choose the best one for you and your appliance. With a little bit of experimentation to find the right fuel, I am sure that you will not miss burning coal, in fact, you will wonder why you didn’t move onto smokeless fuel years ago!