New rules for the sale of coal and wood boilers

nowoczesny kocioł pellet ekogroszek (12)

From 12 March 2019 comes into force ordinance of the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology, which changes provisions on the requirements for solid fuel boilers. The main changes are the elimination of loopholes that allowed some boiler manufacturers to bypass previous regulations.

Elimination of loopholes

From 1 October 2017, a ban on the sale of boilers which do not meet the emission standards of class 5 in accordance with PN EN 303-5: 2012 is valid throughout Poland. Boilers that were manufactured before this date could still be sold until 30 June 2018.

The 2017 regulation did not cover boilers intended for preparing domestic hot water and for burning non-wood biomass (eg straw, grains, seeds, nut shells). In practice, some boiler manufacturers used these exemptions to bypass regulations. They marked their coal-fired boilers as intended for preparing hot water or for burning seeds or nut shells.

These practices are unlawful from today. The sale of these boilers is subject to the same emission regulations and standards as coal and wood boilers for heating.

The second major change in the regulation is the extension of the definition of placing on the market. Previously, it only included making the product available on the market for the first time. From now on, the regulations also apply to resale, rental or sale via the Internet.

Clarification of boiler requirements

The amendment to the ordinance clarified the manner of confirming the boiler’s compliance with the emission and efficiency requirements. This must be done by an accredited testing laboratory in accordance with the European standard.

The Regulation also introduced additional requirements:

  • In boilers with an automatic fuel feeding it is forbidden to use construction elements allowing for manual feeding. Not only the “emergency grate”, but also the so-called “water grate” and other such solutions.
  • It has been clarified that for boilers designed for the combustion of several types of fuels, emission and efficiency requirements must be met for each of them.
  • Boilers with manual fuel feeding should be operated with a storage tank. Its minimum capacity is specified in the PN-EN 303-5: 2012 standard.
  • Boiler equipment with exhaust gas treatment systems (eg electro-filters) should be an integral part of the boiler construction. This should be confirmed by tests allowing the boiler to be placed on the market and used.
  • The instruction manual and the boiler’s type plate should contain information on the type and quality parameters of the fuel recommended by the manufacturer.

Regulation and anti-smog resolution for Małopolska

In the case of the Małopolska Region, from 1 July 2017, the anti-smog resolution applies. It prohibits the operation of new solid fuel boilers that do not meet the ecodesign requirements. However, in Kraków from 1 September 2019, a total ban on burning solid fuels will come into force.

When buying a new coal or biomass boiler, first of all, the requirements of local law should be followed. The purchase and use of a class 5 boiler that does not meet the ecodesign requirements is inconsistent with the requirements of the anti-smog regulation for Małopolska. It is therefore threatened with a fine. In Małopolska, it is also not allowed to use new boilers without an automatic fuel feeder (the exception is only for gasifying boilers).

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