Derry City and Strabane District Council says it will continue working with coal and solid fuel suppliers to ensure that smokeless fuel is available to help reduce air pollution levels in the Derry and Strabane area.
Particularly high air pollution levels have been recorded recently in the Strabane and Newtownstewart areas, party as a result of increased usage of solid fossil fuel during the cost of living crisis, as householders try to avoid using gas and oil as prices soar.
Earlier this week, members of Derry City and Strabane District Council, passed a motion stressing that fines in place to help control domestic particulate emissions in smoke control areas should be waived for anyone facing fuel poverty.
There are a number of designated smoke control areas in the Council area, including Strabane, Castlederg and Newtownstewart, which require either the use of smokeless fuels or the installation of ‘exempted fireplaces’.
Officials said there is no intention at this stage to visit domestic properties, and Environmental Health Officers would be working with retailers to ensure smokeless fuels are being made widely available.
They offered reassurances that fines are not being imposed on domestic properties in the council area, and enforcement at the moment includes monitoring the sale of non-smokeless fuels and providing advice to solid fuel retailers in and around the smoke control areas.
Anyone requiring any further information in relation to smoke control should contact the Environmental Health Service of Derry City and Strabane District Council by telephoning the Environment and Neighbourhoods Team on 028 71 253 253.
For real time data on air quality, members of the public should visit the following website https://www.
To find out if your property is in a Smoke Control Area, visit http://www.
