According to the release of Emissions of air pollutants in the UK – Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), emissions from the sector fell by 7.4% between 2023 and 2024, continuing a clear long-term downward trend.
The SIA highlighted significant reductions in last year’s dataset, and the latest figures provide further evidence that the transition to modern appliances, improved fuel quality and better burning practices is delivering measurable air quality improvements.
Commenting on the figures, Erica Malkin, executive director of the SIA, said: “A 7.4% reduction in a single year is significant – around twice the overall UK reduction rate over the same period. It shows the sector is improving rapidly as older appliances are replaced and best-practice use becomes more widely understood. Better appliance technology, improved fuel quality and consumer awareness are all working together.”
Over the past decade the UK has seen a steady replacement of older heating appliances with modern Ecodesign compliant stoves and certified fuels, which are designed to be significantly lower emitting and more efficient than legacy heating technologies, particularly open fires and older stoves.
Erica added: “The long-term direction of travel is clear — as the installed appliance base modernises and consumers adopt better fuels and burning practices, emissions continue to decline. The latest data suggests these changes are delivering sustained improvements rather than short-term variation.”
The latest dataset also expands the scope of domestic combustion to include outdoor burning sources such as fire pits and chimineas which were previously allocated to a different inventory code. Despite this broader accounting boundary, emissions from the category have still fallen year-on-year.
A detailed breakdown of emissions by appliance and fuel type will be available when the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) data tables are released.
Erica concluded: “We look forward to examining the full dataset when the detailed tables are released. This will allow a deeper understanding of how different technologies and fuels contribute to the continued reductions.”