EFA update on the Blue Angel and quality mark

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From March 21 to 22, 2024, the European Fireplace Association (EFA) hosted a conference in Bonn. The RRF was represented by our Managing Director Christian Droll, who acted as a board member of the EFA. The conference was also hosted by RAL Deutsches Institut für Gütesicherung und Kennzeichnung e.V., the central body for quality marks in Germany, which also manages the Blue Angel.

On the first day, the speaker Niklas Neureuther from RAL gave a presentation on the Blue Angel and quality marks. Other topics on the first day included the “#ofenzukunft” initiative, which provides targeted and comprehensive information about stoves and tiled stoves and addresses politicians, as well as a presentation by Sabrina Walter from the “Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection” (BMUV), who gave an overview of current issues relating to immission control, funding requirements and the European legal framework. The ZIV, represented by board member Markus Burger, provided information on the topic of “Decommissioning single-room fireplaces” and the background to the counting of fireplaces and tiled stoves by the chimney sweep trade. Finally, Dirk Böhringer, external technical advisor to the EFA, gave a presentation on the testing and proof of use of particle separators. The focus of the tests by the DIBt, which he presented, was primarily operational safety and fire safety.

On the second day, the association’s direction for the future was presented. To enable the association to keep on strengthening, monitoring and supporting its European work in Brussels, cooperation with associations is to be expanded and costs reduced through digitalization in view of the stable membership fees. Furthermore, the three specialist groups – manufacturers, exhaust systems and suppliers – are to be strengthened and do more substantive work. According to the Chairman of the EFA Board, Uwe Striegler, this is necessary as the strong growth has resulted in 42 members from all sectors. Mr. Striegler sees the future of the EFA as secured and well positioned for the coming years thanks to the continuous further development.

The upcoming conference will take place from October 24 to 25 in Würzburg. A workshop on current issues is planned for the time in between. The date will be announced in good time.

Trade fair appearance at Progetto Fuoco 2024

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From February 28 to March 1, 2024, our CEOs Christian Droll and Dennis Droll and the head of testing laboratory Sven Müller, were at the Progetto Fuoco in Verona. There they took part in numerous meetings and came into direct contact with you.

This trade fair was also a complete success for us, as we were able to make new contacts and hold future-oriented discussions with you.

Among the top topics were the new EN 16510 series of standards and the certification of chimneys and flue gas systems, for which we are also accredited in addition to testing fireplaces.

If you are visiting or exhibiting at a trade fair and you’re interested in making an appointment with us, please feel free to contact us at info@rrf-online.eu or 0208 607041-0.

In front Dennis Droll and Sven Müller on their way to the fair

Progetto Fuoco 2024 

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From February 28 to March 1, 2024, we will be visiting the Progetto Fuoco in Verona. We gladly visit you at your stand or arrange an appointment with you. 

To arrange an appointment, please contact us by telephone on +49(0)208 60 70 41 – 11 or via e-mail at l.schmidt@rrf-online.eu. 

Decommissioning, retrofitting or replacing fireplaces in accordance with the 1. BImSchV

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In 2010, the „1. BImSchV“ came into force in Germany. This ordinance specifies replacement obligations (retrofitting or decommissioning where necessary) for single-room firing installations for solid fuels.

The ordinance is available to everyone online free of charge, and chimney sweeps, associations and the media have been providing continuous information on the topic since 2010.

German version of the 1. BImSchV:

1. BImSchV – Erste Verordnung zur Durchführung des Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetzes *) (gesetze-im-internet.de)

English translation: First Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Immission Control Act (Ordinance on Small and Medium-Sized Firing Installations) (Erste Verordnung zur Durchführung des Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetzes – Verordnung über kleine und mittlere Feuerungsanlagen – 1. BImSchV (bmuv.de)

Due to the fact that the last date for retrofitting or decommissioning is 2024, we are receiving a flood of telephone and written inquiries. Many fireplace owners are worried due to false reports in the media, need proof of compliance with limit values or are looking for consulting.

Our notified body is not the right contact for this.

As a testing and certification body notified by the European Commission, we are not permitted to make test results or documents accessible to third parties or to make statements to third parties about tests or certifications carried out by us, as these are legally the property of the respective client/manufacturer. We are also not permitted to provide consulting on products tested or certified by us.

If you have any questions, you should first contact the distribution channel through which the construction product was purchased (e.g. specialist dealer, hardware store, shipping chain).

If this cannot provide information, please contact the manufacturer listed on the type plate or documents.

Even if manufacturers no longer exist or cannot be found, this does not release us from our duty of data protection and confidentiality.

The following transitional periods are listed in the 1. BImSchV:

Date on the type plateDate of decommissioning, retrofitting or decommissioning
Up to and including December 31, 1974 or date can no longer be determinedDecember 31, 2014
January 1, 1975 to December 31, 1984December 31, 2017
January 1, 1985 to December 31, 1994December 31, 2020
January 1, 1995 to including March 21, 2010December 31, 2024

The current phase affects fireplaces that were marked between January 1, 1995 and March 21, 2010 (date/year on the type plate). These must be decommissioned, retrofitted or replaced by a new low-emission fireplace by December 31, 2024 if the existing fireplace does not comply with the applicable limit values.

For all fireplaces that are affected by a previous phase but have not yet been considered, immediate action must be taken by the district master chimney sweep.

The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) assumes that up to approx. 4 million fireplaces are affected by this legal regulation in the 1. BImSchV. The number of inquiries we receive is correspondingly high.

Please understand that we are unable to answer detailed questions for the reasons mentioned above.

Successful notification according to EN 16510

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We were one of the first European laboratories to receive notification in relation to the new EN 16510 series of standards. The notification certificate was sent to us by the Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik, which means that we are now authorized to issue test reports in accordance with EN 16510.

The notification concerns the following construction products:

EN 16510-2-1Roomheaters
EN 16510-2-2inset appliances including open fires
EN 16510-2-3Cookers
EN 16510-2-6 Mechanically by wood pellets fed roomheaters, inset appliances and cookers

The notified bodies have submitted a draft on the use of historical data related to part 2-1 (room heaters) to the European Commission. The decision will be communicated within the next 14 days.
The proposal for the use of historical data for the other parts of the standard EN 16510 2-2 to 2-6 will be processed by the notified bodies in the coming week.

The EN 16510 series of standards replaces the standards EN 13240, EN 13229, EN 12815, EN 12809, EN 14785 and thus the majority of standards for small fireplaces. From 09.11.2025, the fireplaces concerned must be placed on the market with a test report in accordance with the corresponding part of EN 16510. The standard for storage fireplaces EN 15250 will be harmonized at a later date and is not yet acutely affected.

Further information on EN 16510 can be found here: Harmonization of EN 16510 – RRF (rrf-online.eu)

You are welcome to contact us about tests in accordance with EN 16510 or the use of historical data from your fireplaces.