The Government is looking for the public’s views on the regulation of all solid fuels, including peat, turf and wood.

Launching a public consultation on the regulation of turf and wood this week, the Department of Environment said it was the “first step towards a nationwide ban on the sale and burning of smoky coal and the regulation of other fuels” for public health.

“Consideration needs to be given to options which may restrict the sale and marketing of sod turf, while respecting the traditional practice of turf cutting for personal use only,” the Department said.

It said one type of a measure that could be taken is to introduce a maximum moisture content level at which wood be can sold. “Wood with high moisture content (wet wood) is significantly more polluting than wood with low moisture content (dry wood),” it said.

The consultation document and submission options are available on gov.ie and the public consultation will close at 5.30pm on Friday 2 April 2021.