The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) (Amendment) Regulations 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Section 20 of the Clean Air Act 1993 provides that where smoke is emitted from a chimney in a smoke control area, and that chimney is either

(a) a chimney of a building, or

(b) a chimney serving the furnace of a fixed boiler or industrial plant (not being a chimney of a building),

the occupier of the building or, as the case may be, the person having possession of the boiler or plant, is guilty of an offence. It is a defence to show that the alleged emission was caused solely by the use of an authorised fuel.

These Regulations, which apply to Great Britain, amend the Smoke Control (Authorised Fuels) Regulations 1991 so that the following additional fuels are now authorised—

(a) Blue Flame briquettes;

(b) Cwm Coke Doubles;

(c) Homefire Ovals (R);

(d) Homefire (Improved) briquettes;

(e) Natura briquettes;

(f) Redcar Coke Nuts (Doubles);

(g) Supacite briquettes; and

(h) Supertherm II briquettes.

The Regulations also amend the 1991 Regulations to take account of the fact that the authorised fuels Clean Flame briquettes and New Taybrite Briquettes are now manufactured by NSM Mining (South Wales) Limited.