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Biomass and Air Quality Guidance for Local Authorities (England and Wales)

Environmental Protection UK and LACORS (now Local Government Regulation) released guidance for English and Welsh local authorities on biomass and air quality during 2009. A significantly amended version for Scottish local authorities, developed by Environmental Protection UK Scotland, followed in November 2010.

The guidance provides background material on the issues involved, and details procedures for assessing and managing the effects of biomass on air quality – specifically nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulates (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5). A number of tools are also available to help local authorities assess the potential impacts of biomass boilers and keep records of installed boilers.

Full List of Documents:

• Biomass and Air Quality Guidance for Local Authorities (England and Wales)
  The main guidance document
• Biomass and Air Quality Guidance for Local Authorities (Scotland)The main guidance document for Scottish local authorities

Accompanying Tools

• Biomass and Air Quality, Developers' Information Leaflet
  A leaflet that local authorities can hand to developers considering biomass energy for their developments
• Biomass Boiler Information Request Template
  An adaptable template form for local authorities to request details of a biomass boiler
• Biomass Boiler Inventory Template
  A template spreadsheet for logging the details of biomass boilers, to help assess cumulative impacts
• Unit conversion and screening tool
  Emissions and fuel properties data may be presented in a variety of units, and this spreadsheet contains worksheets that convert between these. It also contains worksheets for the previously released biomass and air quality screening tool, and stack heights calculation (the 1956 chimney heights memorandum)
• Instructions for the unit conversion and screening tool

Printed copies of the main guidance document are available to order by contacting admin@environmental-protection.org.uk or calling 01273 878770.

Comments or queries about the guidance and accompanying documents should be sent to: Ed Dearnley (Policy Officer) Ed.Dearnley@environmental-protection.org.uk

Environmental Protection UK and LACORS gratefully acknowledge the work of the steering group who have overseen the production of this guidance. We also thanks DEFRA for providing funding for this work through the Air Quality Grant scheme.