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Netherlands Moves Unevenly on Wood-Burning Rules as Rheden Proposes Time Limits and Groningen Hits Pause

Local plans face legal and enforcement hurdles without a national framework and with no reliable method to prove neighborhood exposure.

Overview

  • Rheden has proposed allowing indoor wood fires only from November 1 to March 1 between 17:00 and 21:00 starting January 1, 2027, with permits for homes lacking viable heating.
  • The Rheden council will vote on December 16, with the college framing the plan as a step to improve local air quality.
  • In Groningen, a proposal to prohibit indoor wood burning during RIVM stookwijzer code red was paused after GroenLinks raised enforceability and legal concerns, and the alderman pledged a feasibility review within two weeks.
  • There is no national ban on wood stoves; municipalities must act through their APV bylaws while the Schone Lucht Akkoord is voluntary and has no sanctions.
  • Enforcement remains difficult—Voorst is cited as applying a conditional ban during unfavorable conditions, has logged 24 distinct complaints, and reports no fines to date—while retailers say stove demand remains at or above pre-2022 levels.