Worcester City - Worcestershire Regulatory Services

Worcester City Council6.2 Biomass Combustion – Combined ImpactsThe criteria for assessing biomass combustion (combined impacts) are set out inSection D.1b of Box 5.8, LAQM.TG(09). The estimated average PM 10 backgroundconcentration in Worcester in 2012 is 15.2µg/m 3 (range 13.7 – 18.7µg/m 3 ).Using the nomograms provided in TG(09) and data provided in Table 5.3, andassuming a worst-case background of 19µg/m 3 in a small town, emissions of at least6000 kg PM 10 per year would be required in a square 500m by 500m in order for thistype of emission source to be likely to lead to exceedence of the UK daily meanobjective for PM 10 . This is equivalent to over 200 households within a 500m by 500mgrid square all burning wood in fireplaces as their primary fuel. Alternatively, therewould need to be a minimum of 26,350m 2 of commercial floorspace (approximatelyequivalent to 10 large supermarkets) heated by biomass boilers within a 500m by500m grid square all using wood as their primary fuel. Using this fact, and thefindings of previous Review and Assessment reports, it is considered highly unlikelythat there are any areas of biomass combustion exceeding these criteria.Worcester City Council confirms that there are unlikely to be combined impacts frombiomass combustion in the Local Authority area.6.3 Domestic Solid-Fuel BurningThe criteria for assessing domestic solid-fuel burning are set out in Section D.2 ofBox 5.8, LAQM.TG(09) and are unchanged from previous Review and Assessments.The 2009 USA concluded that there were no areas of significant domestic coal orsmokeless fuel burning. There has not been a significant increase in domestic solidfuelburning.Worcester City Council confirms that there are no areas of significant domestic fueluse in the Local Authority area.LAQM USA 2012 23