• The President of UOKiK verifies whether solid fuel boilers meet the requirements specified in the regulations.
• To date, we have successfully eliminated more than 7.2 thousand on-line offers, and more than 170 entrepreneurs have taken voluntary corrective actions - these are the results of the joint efforts of UOKiK and the TIA experts.
• An entrepreneur responsible for selling a boiler not complying with the requirements may be obliged to buy it back and disassemble it.

With the recent waves of freezing temperatures, the smog issue has resurfaced. Our smog, as opposed to that of the "Los Angeles" or London type, is characterized by high concentrations of particulate matter (especially PM10 and PM2.5) and benzopyrene, which come from burning coal and solid fuels in coal stoves. Solid fuel boilers are currently enjoying a major revival, and this is mainly due to the rising prices of heating oil and gas. The Trade Inspection Authority verifies the quality and labelling of such products. The inspection check boilers available in retail chains as well as from manufacturers and as on-line sales offers. It also sample them for laboratory tests.

– Health and safety of Polish consumers is our priority. Through our daily choices as a society, we can make a difference in the quality of the air we breathe. UOKiK and the Trade Inspection Authority step up their control activities aimed at eliminating from the market the so-called "soot-spewing stoves” that have their share in polluting the environment. Throughout 2020, TIA inspectors checked the stores for inter alia, the reliability of consumer information and compliance with legal requirements in the technical documentation, declarations of conformity, CE marking, as well as energy labels placed on solid fuel boilers. We have inspected almost 50 models in laboratory conditions. We have also verified offers posted on the Internet, removing thousands of deals offering non-compliant boilers - Tomasz Chróstny, President of UOKiK, informs.

Highlights of 2020

In 2020, we checked a total of 658 boiler models, of which 48 models were tested in laboratory conditions. The tests were carried out from May to December 2020 at the request of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection by an accredited laboratory experienced in the technical testing of boilers. As many as 284 models had formal defects (e.g. labelling and documentation) and 12 were found not to meet the applicable emission levels of harmful substances (such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide or nitrogen oxides). One model was re-tested and found to be compliant.

In 2020, the employees of UOKiK and the Trade Inspection Authority checked 37 954 auctions of boilers sold on popular platforms (inter alia Allegro.pl, OLX.pl, sprzedajemy.pl, lento.pl, gumtree.pl, gratka.pl). They contested 7,233 auctions at which vendors offered non-compliant boilers. The President of UOKiK informed the owners of these platforms about the applicable regulations and requested these offers to be removed. In most cases, they have been removed.

Outcomes of activities of UOKiK and Trade Inspection Authority

• So far, we have initiated 22 administrative proceedings on 114 solid fuel boiler models (defective in terms of documentation and design irregularities). During the course of the Authority's actions, entrepreneurs have voluntarily undertaken and/or undertake corrective actions, including conducting supplemental testing to confirm that boilers comply with all requirements.
• We have completed 11 proceedings due to the removal of formal non-compliance. 6 proceedings in this regard are pending.
• There are currently 4 proceedings pending regarding exceeded emission parameters in relation to 4 boiler models. The Authority has initiated one proceeding in connection with a leaking boiler.

During the inspections of solid fuel boilers carried out by the provincial inspectorates of TIA, 171 entrepreneurs responsible for marketing the boilers undertook voluntary corrective actions and supplemented the required information, e.g. about the proper type of combustion fuel to be used.

In 28 cases, the inspectors notified the law enforcement authorities of the suspicion of committing a crime involving the marketing of boilers that do not meet the requirements and may pose a threat to the environment.

Download the list of verified products.

Hints and tips for consumers

- Many Polish households still use obsolete boilers fed with poor quality fuels and, in the worst cases, even waste. They emit highly concentrated harmful substances to the atmosphere that are dangerous to health and life. Old generation boilers and furnaces often fail to meet the basic standards for the emissions of particulate matter and other hazardous substances, they are simply “poisoners – Tomasz Chróstny, the President of UOKiK, adds.

During one of the laboratory tests, we shoot a video presenting the danger posed by a faulty boiler. In this case, smoke and dangerous gases, which pose a threat to human life and health, escape through a leaking hatch à see the video.

Consumer, are you buying a solid fuel boiler? Pay attention to:

• CE marking - every boiler must be labelled with it.
• Boiler design - e.g. quality of welds, sharp edges that may cause injuries.
• Boiler equipment - the boiler must be equipped with safety valves, (e.g. at the controller) with an easily accessible safety temperature limiter (STB) - a system that protects the heat generator against overheating. It should be equipped with swirlers, which are mounted in the boilers' flue gas ducts. They distort the flue gas flow to boost heat exchange between the flue gas and the water circulating in the boiler exchanger. This translates into high performance of the device. The boiler must not be equipped with an additional grate.
• Materials used in the boiler chamber - in case of coal-fired boilers, check if the furnace is fitted with ceramic elements that accumulate heat. This ensures high temperature at which the volatile substances emitted from the fuel are burned thoroughly and reduces the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere.
• Indication of the type of fuel that may be combusted in the boiler - the more fuel types may be used, the lower the efficiency of the device may be. What is more, using a fuel other than the one indicated by the manufacturer may increase the emission of harmful compounds into the atmosphere or damage the boiler. Also make sure that in the area where you live it is not forbidden to use this particular type of fuel.
• Boiler efficiency indicated by the manufacturer - the higher the boiler efficiency, the more heat can be generated from a single portion of fuel, and thus less heat is consumed, without compromising the residents' thermal comfort.
• Fuel feeding mode - whether the fuel is fed manually or automatically - the latter saves your time.
• Fuel combustion type - boilers with lower combustion consume less fuel. In such furnaces, only a small part of the fuel fed in the lower part of the feeding hopper is combusted.
• Feeding hopper capacity in automatic feeding mode - how long the boiler will keep heating without refeeding.
• Cleaning method - products of combustion (e.g. soot) settle on the elements of the boiler and may reduce its efficiency or even cause self-ignition. Easy access to the furnace will enable maintaining the device at an appropriate efficiency level. The boiler may be equipped with a semi-automatic cleaning system, which will make it easier to ensure its efficiency. If professional tools (e.g. special brushes) are required for cleaning and maintenance, these should be supplied with the boiler.
• Hazard pictograms provided by the manufacturer, e.g. marking of surfaces that may heat up during operation or indicating electrical hazard - the manufacturer should minimise the risks for the user during the operation of the boiler.
• User manual, which must be clear to you. From this manual you will learn how to install the boiler, what and how to combust. At the same time, the user manual or documentation attached to the boiler should include information on the disassembly, recycling or disposal of the boiler after the end of its operating life.
• Energy label you will find at the point of sale. It will help you compare offers and simplify the choice of a device that is both cost-efficient and energy-efficient. The most important parameter shown on the label is the energy efficiency class. Currently the scale is from A+++ (the most efficient) to D. The higher the class, the more efficient the boiler is and the less energy it uses to heat the rooms. Energy label examples and explanations are available on the website: www.uokik.gov.pl/kotly.
• Product information sheet where you will find data such as the supplier's name or logo, model ID, energy efficiency class, rated heat output in kW, energy efficiency coefficient or seasonal energy efficiency of space heating, i.e. information on the boiler efficiency - the higher the better - and the level of emission of dust, carbon monoxide or nitrogen oxides (i.e. the impact of the boiler on air quality).

Below you will find the limit values for the emission of harmful substances (the lower it is, the less harmful compounds the boiler emits):

Consumer, remember - if you buy a boiler that does not comply with the statutory requirements, you may incur high costs of disassembling an unauthorised device and buying a new one in the years to come. If you have doubts about the quality or marking of the boiler, please contact the Trade Inspection Authority.

Entrepreneur - do you sell or manufacture boilers?   Read the requirements for these products. Remember - the entity responsible for selling a boiler not complying with the requirements may be obliged by competent authorities to buy it back and disassemble it.