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

The Regulations came into effect on 31st October 2022, replacing the Air Pollution Act (Marketing, Sale, Distribution and Burning of Specified Fuels) Regulations 2022 (S.I. No. 326 of 2012) as amended. The objective of these regulations is to limit the release of pollutants from domestic combustion of solid fuel and to protect and improve air quality.

Under the 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:
    • Until 31st August 2025, a sulphur content less than 2% by weight on a dry, ash-free basis, and
    • From 1st September 2025 (subject to market assessment), a 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, (other than wood supplied in units of two cubic metres or more), must have:
    • Until 31st August 2025, a moisture content of less than 25%, and
    • From 1st September 2025, a moisture content 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.  Registration for the 2023-2024 heating season has now commenced.

How to register

In order to be placed on the Fuels Register for the 2023-2024 heating season, a producer must submit a completed application form.

You can either

  1. Complete this Online Application Form, or
  2. Download and fill out this PDF form, and then scan and submit this to fuelregistration@epa.ie.

You must complete the following steps before submitting your application form:

  • Submit a copy of your valid Certificate of Compliance issued by a Certification Body for all of your products. The Certificate of Compliance should cover the full heating season from 1st September 2023 to 31st August 2024;
  • Pay your €100 fee to the Environmental Protection Agency;
  • For those applying for more than 5 different products, you must complete the template appendix and submit this as part of your application to fuelregistration@epa.ie.

Please note that failure to provide:

  • a fully completed Application Form (including appendix, if applicable),
  • a valid Certificate of Compliance covering all products, and
  • €100 euro application fee

may result in the refusal of your application.

How to pay the €100 fee:

You can pay the fee by submitting payment to the following methods

  • To pay by debit/credit card, please email EPA’s Accounts Section at accountsreceivable@epa.ie and you will be contacted to arrange payment over the phone.
  • To pay by bank transfer, please see the account details here. Ensure you include a clear reference to your application as part of your payment so that this can be matched to your application.

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

Fuels Register

A list of registered solid fuel producers, for the period 1st September 2023 to 31st August 2024 is available here.

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