Chimney Heights

Determining the height of a chimney

Smoke emissions and the height of chimneys serving certain furnaces and combustion processes are regulated under The Clean Air Act 1993.

The control of chimney heights enable us to take into account a number of relevant factors in determining the height of a chimney, in commercial and industrial situations on their installation.

Under section 14 of the Act, unless the height of the chimney has been approved by us and any conditions attached to approval adhered to, it is an offence to cause or knowingly permit a furnace to be used to:

• burn pulverised fuel
• burn at a rate of 45.4 kg or more an hour any other solid matter or
• burn at a rate equivalent to 366.4 kW or more any liquid or gaseous matter.

Chimney height approval application

An application for chimney height approval must contain adequate information to enable the necessary calculations to be carried out.

We must consider an application for approval for chimney height for a furnace and give a written decision within 28 days of receipt, unless it is agreed in writing between us and the applicant that a longer period is allowed.  If we fail to deal with the application within this time period, then approval without qualification is given.