England to phase out coal, wood burning in homes from 2021

LONDON: To encourage the use of cleaner fuels at home, the British government on Friday unveiled plans to phase out the sale of coal and wet wood for domestic burning.

According to the plan, the sales of coal and wet wood will be phased out between 2021 and 2023, giving the public and suppliers time to move to cleaner alternatives such as dry wood and manufactured solid fuels.

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Wood burning stoves and coal fires are the single largest source of the toxic pollutant PM2.5, emitting twice the contribution of industrial combustion and three times the contribution of road transport, said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

"By moving towards the use of cleaner fuels such as dry wood we can all play a part in improving the health of millions of people," said Environment Secretary George Eustice, adding that the government aims to halve the harm to human health from air pollution by 2030.

These regulations will apply in England only.