Air Pollution Act 1987 (Solid Fuels) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 529 of 2022)

The Regulations came into effect on 31st October 2022 and replace the Air Pollution Act (Marketing, Sale, Distribution and Burning of Specified Fuels) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 326 of 2012) as amended.

Under the new Regulations, it is prohibited to retail or distribute solid fuel for the purposes of combustion for heating (space or water) in a fireplace in a domestic or a licensed premises that is not an approved solid fuel under the Regulations.

To be approved, a solid fuel must conform to the relevant requirements:

  • Coal products and manufactured solid fuels must have a smoke emission rate of less than 10 grams per hour
  • Manufactured part biomass products must have a smoke emission rate of less than 5 grams per hour
  • Coal products and manufactured solid fuels, including manufactured part biomass products, must have sulphur content less than 2% by weight on a dry ash-free basis, and subject to market assessment, with effect from 1 September 2025, have sulphur content less than 1% by weight on a dry ash-free basis
  • Fuel products which are 100% biomass products, including wood products and wood logs, supplied in units of two cubic metres or less, must have a moisture content of less than 25%, and from 1 September 2025, less than 20%.

Solid Fuel Producer Registration

A solid fuel producer is a person who for the purposes of combustion or heating, produces or treats or imports solid fuel for retail or distribution in the State.

The Regulations require that producers of solid fuels must register with the EPA to be placed on a Fuels Register. The EPA is responsible for the administration of the Fuel Register and issues a unique registration number to each registered producer.

Producers must register annually by 1st September each year.

In order to be placed on the Fuels Register, a producer must submit the following to the EPA

  • A completed application form, either using the online form or by submitting a completed and scanned PDF form to fuelregistration@epa.ie , and
  • A copy of a valid Certificate of Compliance issued by a certification body, to be submitted to fuelregistration@epa.ie. For the purpose of 2022 registrations only, producers have until the 31st December 2022 to submit a valid Certificate of Compliance to accompany their initial registration application. Thereafter, where a Certificate of Compliance is not received, the EPA will consider the registration invalid and the producer will be removed from the register. All applications from 31st December 2022 onwards must be accompanied by a valid Certificate of Compliance to be deemed a valid application.
  • Explore more about Certificates of Compliance on gov.ie.

 

Producers previously registered under the revoked regulations

Producers who registered in 2022 under the revoked regulations and wish to continue to be registered must now submit a revised application for registration.

For the purpose of 2022 registration only, a solid fuel producer who has previously registered in 2022 under the revoked regulations, may submit their existing Certificate of Compliance (Swift 7) along with their new application form. This Certificate of Compliance will be deemed valid for the period 1st November 2022 to 31st August 2023. Note: this applies only to fuel types previously approved. To register any additional fuel types, an additional Certificate of Compliance must be obtained and submitted to the EPA.

See link to the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications FAQs document in the ‘Learn More’ section below for further details.

 

Link to list of registered solid fuel producers, valid from 1st November 2022 to 31st August 2023*

 

 

Solid Fuel Retailer Obligations

A retailer must ensure that any solid fuel retailed is sourced from a registered producer and is an approved solid fuel.

Learn more

 

Contact Us

Email:          fuelregistration@epa.ie

Telephone:  +353 (0)1 268 0100