Recent publicity has tended to equate emissions from wood burning with emissions from wood burning stoves. Government statistics have indicated that nationally, 40 per cent of wood is burnt on open fires. This rises to 70 per cent when it comes to London, despite the fact that burning wood on an open fire is not permitted under the current Clean Air Act.

The Clean Air Strategy clearly recognises that all wood burning is not the same.

SIA Ecodesign Ready stoves are designed using improved burn technology, developed by the stove manufacturers to produce 90 per cent fewer emissions than an open fire and 80 per cent fewer emissions than a stove manufactured 10 years ago. Users of wood burning appliances can make a significant improvement to air quality by installing a SIA Ecodesign Stove.

Key to the Defra strategy is also educating homeowners to burn only wood with a moisture content below 20 per cent and having their chimney swept on a regular basis by a registered chimney sweep. Following this advice will maximise the environmental benefits of a SIA Ecodesign Ready stove.

Wood burning stoves also have strong green credentials as the CO2 produced by SIA Ecodesign Ready stoves when the logs are burnt is absorbed by growing trees, making them carbon neutral. In the government’s energy efficiency indicator, logs have a significantly lower carbon factor than gas, oil or electricity.

Morley Sage, chair of the SIA said: “Owners of an SIA Ecodesign Ready stove can be confident they are reducing their carbon footprint and helping to improve air quality by using the best emissions and efficiency technology available.”

When buying a new stove, the message is clear: choose a SIA Ecodesign Ready stove and use Ready to Burn logs.