U.K. homeowners who violate air pollution rules on wood-burning stoves could face thousands of dollars in “on-the-spot” fines and even a criminal record after the government promised to clamp down on older appliances, according to The Times.
Penalties will apply to those who surpass the limit for smoke emissions falling from 5g per hour to 3g.
First-time fines can range from £175 ($240) to £300 ($413) and apply to London, Birmingham, Manchester, and many other U.K. towns and cities.
The government is instructing these authorities to use powers under the 2021 Environment Act to issue civil penalties.
However, for repeat offenders, councils will also be able to pursue “criminal prosecutions” that could result in a fine of up to £5,000 ($6,858) and £2,500 ($3,429) added for every day a breach continues.
Seventeen fines have already been issued over the past six years by local authorities responsible for enforcing smoke control rules.
Authorities reportedly received over 18,000 complaints from fellow citizens in that time period.
