The Environment Act 2021 amended the Clean Air Act 1993 on matters related to smoke control. This legislation is available on the government website. The changes are intended to make it easier for Local Authorities to tackle smoke emissions; Smoke emissions in a Smoke Control Area are now a civil rather than criminal issue and so financial penalties can be issued where unacceptable smoke emissions have been observed by the Local Authority.
These amendments include:
- Financial penalties – Sefton Council can issue £175-£300 fines in response to visible smoke being emitted from a chimney within a Smoke Control Area, find out if you are in a smoke control area here.
- Sale and acquisition of solid fuel – Provides the power to issue fines to those buying or selling unapproved fuels to be used in a Smoke Control Area, find out more about which fuels you can burn here.
- Apply Smoke Control Orders to vessels in England – this includes canal boats.
You can find out more about these amendments in a government issued summary found here.