Clean Air Act 1993

The Clean Air Act is split into an number of parts which set out to control emissions to air these are;

Part 1

Prohibits emission of dark smoke from chimneys and industrial or trade premises including bonfires. Dark smoke is created by burning materials such as plastics, foam, painted wood etc. Smoke in general contains pollutants such as carbon monoxide, dioxins and fine particles. In addition burning plastic, rubber or painted material not only creates an unpleasant smell but a range of poisonous compounds.

Part 2

This act related to the emission of smoke, grit, dust and fumes incorporating furnaces and chimneys (including specification on the heights of chimneys).

Part 3

Allows the local authority to declare ‘smoke control areas’ in order to improved air quality. In these areas it is an offence for the occupier of a building to allow smoke emission from a chimney unless it is produced by an ‘authorised fuel’. In Burton on Trent, almost the whole town is declared a smoke control area.

Part 3 of the Clean Air Act 1993 also allows the local authority to declare ‘smoke control areas’ in order to improve air quality. In these areas it is an offence for the occupier of a building to allow smoke emission from a chimney unless it is produced by an ‘authorised fuel’, although it is recognised that there may be times when certain of these fuels may cause periods of light smoke emission. It should be noted that coal, oil and wood are not authorised fuels.  For more information on these control areas, please refer to our webpage on Smoke Control Areas.

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