Wood burners

[Rodcx500z]

I raised this a few weeks ago https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/ukne...cut-air-pollution/ar-BB10dk68?ocid=spartandhp with very mixed reactions, looks like the days of collecting wood are over

 

[marshbrewer]

I read in the telegraph that it's the sale of wet wood and non-smokeless coal that will be banned. You will be able to;

1. Buy smoke free coal
2. Buy bulk amounts of wet wood to dry yourself
3. Buy dried wood

Its basically extending restrictions similar to the ones them there city folks have had in smoke free zones to the whole country.

It does go on to say that further restrictions are being considered, which would be worrying, as out here in the sticks the power can go off for long periods relatively frequently, so being 100% reliant on heating that needed electricity to function could be a bit dodgy.

 

[An Ankoù]

Out in the sticks. like what we are, wood burners are the way forward. But wood must be dry- <20% moisture otherwise it doesn't burn well, it just smoulders and it can lead to chimney fires as wet wood produced loads more tar. And it doesn't heat well either. A lot of burners run on compressed wood pellets where the moisture is controlled and very low and they can be fed automatically into the fire. Not for me, though, I love an nice pile of split wood in the basket. We have three burners, by the way, and no central heating or radiators. Winter temperatures can linger around -3 to -5 for days on end with periods of lower temperatures although this winter has been relatively warm and wet.
I grew up as a lad with coal fires: nasty, smelly, dirty things.

 

[Clint]

I do find sitting in a centrally heated house not very nice...it seems to "dry out" your nasal system.
How are they going to police what people burn?

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Listening to the radio this morning and they are saying the ban will start in February next year, we have am open fire and have tried smokeless coal and its rubbish, it takes lots of kindling to light it and it doesn't burn like coal so we would be forced to switch to dry wood which is going to cost a lot more, people who live in villages where they cannot use gas are going to have to take the hit as using electricity for heating is expensive, yet again the poor and those with no choice are going to be hit the hardest.
How do they kiln dry the wood does that not damage the environment?

https://ulverstonoldphotos.freeforums.net/

 

[marshbrewer]

They aren't @Clint , they are proposing to police the sale of stuff, not the use. It will still be legal to chop down your own tree and burn it if you so desire.

 

[Graz]

Oh well, I'll stick to burning all the MDF, ply and chipboard I've been salvaging from around the local area.

 

[An Ankoù]

people who live in villages where they cannot use gas are going to have to take the hit as using electricity for heating is expensive,

People consider electricity to be CLEAN energy, hence the rise in sales of electric cars, but it's only CLEAN if it's generated cleanly eg, through wind or tidal turbines of hydro. Electricity from fossil fuel or nuclear power stations can hardly be considered CLEAN energy. So all those thinking of getting an electric car, consider where the electricity and the batteries are coming from.

 

[terrym]

I live on an estate and in my immediate area I am surrounded by about five houses with so called 'wood burners' although I am reasonably well spaced from some of them. I have no real problem with these when people burn wood, it's when they burn coal, which some do. When the burner grate is replenished you get black smoke and then subsequently in the local environment you can smell SO2 in the air, let alone invisible particulates. My local council tell me that nothing can be done about it unless I am willing to keep a diary of all installations which are perceived to be causing a nuisance under the only legislation that covers the situation since I do not live in a smokeless zone. Then if the case is strong enough they will have 'a word' but in my view unlikely to do much more.
Coal is not a 21st century fuel in the UK. It's dirty and polluting and has no place as a domestic heating fuel in whatever form it comes. We are aggressively pursuing the motorist to cut down on atmospheric pollution yet at present still allow folks to burn coal, which as long ago as the 1950s was recognised for causing health problems and lead to the Clean Air. So I will certainly welcome a ban on its use.

 

[user 23602]

So I will certainly welcome a ban on its use.

100% this. And I cannot wait until the ban of the sale of petrol/diesel cars!

I'm fortunate that I don't feel the cold, so even in the winter, the heating doesn't go on... I usually sleep with the window open and half out the duvet.

 

[Clint]

I think although trying to sort out pollution is a good thing the revert to electric cars is going to be a disaster,unless there's a huge plan to prevent this.

 

[user 23602]

I think although trying to sort out pollution is a good thing the revert to electric cars is going to be a disaster,unless there's a huge plan to prevent this.

Why would it be a disaster?

 

[Clint]

I don't think the infrastructure will be in place.
Battery technology isn't there yet to support the quick charge people will expect. Thousands won't be able to home charge. Can enough electricity be supplied to charge these cars or is it to coincide with a massive reduction on the amount of cars on the road?

 

[An Ankoù]

How much do wood burners really contribute to the sum total of pollution? What about heavy industry, electricity generation, stubble burning and land clearing. While it is very desirable to do away with coal, and I agree fully with terrym on this, the whole thing is a blind. Smoke and mirrors thrown up by this toxic socialist kleptoracy. A quick googling shows this: The UK consumed 14.2 million tonnes of coal in 2017, including 8.7 million tonnes in power stations, 3.2 million tonnes in the steel industry and 1.5 million tonnes in other industry.
That's 13.4 million tons used by industry and the rest, presumably, is the bit used for domestic heating. I don't think too much has changed in the last two years. It reminds me of the 80s when we were encouraged to turn lights off and fit lower wattage bulbs while the shops left theirs burning all night for security purposes. Our little efforts make us feel we're doing our bit, but it's not even a drop in the ocean. That's why there's no change. Don't be taken in.

It's still a good idea not to burn coal. Just don't imagine your contribution makes a difference.

 

[user 23602]

I don't think the infrastructure will be in place.

I highly doubt it as well, I think the cars will be there, but I do not think the infrastructure will be there to support it. And it will of course be questionable how the councils/government agencies will provide the fuel to power that infrastructure should it be in place.

Just don't imagine your contribution makes a difference

Of course it makes a difference, just not a massive one, but as you said, the bigger picture will be subdued by the unnecessary ie. city buildings, which really pisses me off.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Battery technology isn't there yet to support the quick charge people will expect

I have been doing a bit of research into electric cars as i am planning on changing cars in the next couple of years, i live in a terraced street so have no option of plugging into my mains supply so wondered if i could get bye using the chargers in car parks in town it turns out these fast chargers will over time damage the battery and if you use them all the time it will considerably shorten the life of the battery.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

How do they kiln dry the wood does that not damage the environment?

It looks like most are dried using gas.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

It's still a good idea not to burn coal. Just don't imagine your contribution makes a difference.

I would happily stop burning coal if dry logs were the same price but they are not so i have the option to run my central heating more often (i don't lie central heating) fit a gas fire or pay more and continue using my open fire, i think the word i am looking fore is shafted and as has been said above it will make little difference to the environment.

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[An Ankoù]

I highly doubt it as well, I think the cars will be there, but I do not think the infrastructure will be there to support it. And it will of course be questionable how the councils/government agencies will provide the fuel to power that infrastructure should it be in place.

Of course it makes a difference, just not a massive one, but as you said, the bigger picture will be subdued by the unnecessary ie. city buildings, which really pisses me off.

If, after a pint or ten in the Poole Arms and Jolly Sailor in Poole, I cross the road and pee over the side of the Quay, the sea level will rise, albeit imperceptibly, but it will rise. (Inspired by your last phrase, sorry)

 

[terrym]

I would happily stop burning coal if dry logs were the same price but they are not so i have the option to run my central heating more often (i don't lie central heating) fit a gas fire or pay more and continue using my open fire, i think the word i am looking fore is shafted and as has been said above it will make little difference to the environment.

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Your comment that it will make little difference to the environment is both right and wrong.
Right = In that stopping the use of coal as a domestic fuel in the UK will probably make little difference to the global environment given the quantities burned in other countries e.g. China, India, USA.
Wrong = Pollution in local urban areas due to domestic coal burning can be high due to SO2 and particulate concentrations, and this, to my understanding, is the main reason domestic coal burning is to be phased out since it is damaging to health, for the same reasons that spawned the Clean Air Act, which should be welcomed.