Section 20 Prohibition on emission of smoke in smoke control area.C1C2F1
England, Wales and Scotland
If, on any day, smoke is emitted from a chimney of any building within a smoke control area, the occupier of the building shall be guilty of an offence.
If, on any day, smoke is emitted from a chimney (not being a chimney of a building) which serves the furnace of any fixed boiler or industrial plant within a smoke control area, the person having possession of the boiler or plant shall be guilty of an offence.
Subsections (1) and (2) have effect—
subject to any exemptions for the time being in force under section 18, 21 or 22;
subject to section 51 (duty to notify offences to occupier or other person liable).
In proceedings for an offence under this section it shall be a defence to prove that the alleged emission was not caused by the use of any fuel other than an authorised fuel.
A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
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In this Part, “authorised fuel” means a fuel included in a list of authorised fuels kept by the Scottish Ministers for the purposes of this Part.
The Scottish Ministers must—
publish the list of authorised fuels; and
publish a revised copy of the list as soon as is reasonably practicable after any change is made to it.
The list must be published in such manner as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.
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Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
Ss. 20-23 and cross-headings repealed (E.W.) (31.7.2025) by Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 2), s. 30(3), Sch. 1 para. 12; S.I. 2025/937, art. 2(g)
- F2
S. 20(5ZA)-(5ZC) omitted (1.5.2022) by virtue of Environment Act 2021 (c. 30), s. 147(3), Sch. 12 para. 14(4) (with s. 144, Sch. 12 para. 26); S.I. 2022/48, reg. 4(d)
- F3
S. 20(5A)-(5C) inserted (S.) (30.6.2014) by Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 3), ss. 50(2)(a), 61(2); S.S.I. 2014/160, art. 2(1)(2), sch.
- F4
S. 20(6) omitted (16.4.2025) by virtue of Environment Act 2021 (c. 30), s. 147(4), Sch. 12 para. 10(3) (with s. 144); S.I. 2025/491, reg. 2(b)
Modifications
- C1
Power to exclude conferred (27.8.1993) by 1993 c. 11, s. 45(1)(a)
- C2
S. 20 excluded (9.1.1998) by S.I. 1997/3009, art. 2, Sch. 1
S. 20 excluded (S.) (8.10.1999) by S.S.I. 1999/58, art. 2
S. 20 excluded (28.6.1999) by S.I. 1999/1515, art. 2
S. 20 excluded (S.) (16.2.2001) by S.S.I. 2001/16, art. 2
Notes on Part III
Modifications
- C1
Pt. 3: functions etc. assigned to the Port Health Authority and modified (31.3.2017) by The Weymouth Port Health Authority Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/558), arts. 1(1), 9, Sch. 2 (with art. 9(3))
- C2
Pt. 3: functions etc. assigned to the Port Health Authority (7.11.2024) by The London Port Health Authority Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/1161), arts. 1(1), 4(2), Sch. (with arts. 4(3), 5(2))