Wood Burning Air Pollution
Emissions of toxic air pollution from wood burning in UK homes has more than doubled in the past decade, according to official government statistics.
15…… The report also showed that solid fuel burning in homes, which includes a small proportion of coal, is the single biggest source of PM2.5, which refers to particulate matter that is smaller than 2.5 microns in size. Road transport, industry and burning wood and other biomass to produce electricity all produce fewer PM2.5 emissions.
16…… Wood burning in towns and cities is a big contributor to the harmful particles, which have been linked to a wide range of health problems, including heart and lung disease, dementia and mental illness in children. Dirty air causes 26,000 to 38,000 early deaths a year in England. The government report said: “Due to the small size of many of the particles that form PM, some of these toxins may enter the bloodstream and be transported around the body, lodging in the heart, brain and other organs. Therefore, exposure to PM can result in serious impacts to health.”
17…… The rise in emissions from wood burners and biomass burning has offset the reductions seen from the virtual end of coal burning in power stations and tighter emissions standards for vehicles and factories, according to the government data. PM2.5 levels have remained the same for the last 10 years. The data shows that home wood burning causes 21% of PM2.5 emissions in the UK and rose by 124% between 2011 and 2021. Last year’s report from the Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said the rise between 2010 and 2020 was 35%.
18…… Experts said wood burners had become “middle-class status symbols” and that the government should regulate their sale in urban areas. Last week, the mayor of London in effect banned wood burners from new housing developments.
19…… Even government approved “eco” wood burners produce 450 times more pollution than gas heating, according to a report by the chief medical officer for England, which said the vast majority of the 1.5m households that burn wood do so for aesthetic reasons. The dangers posed by wood burners in urban areas have become increasingly clear in recent years. Emissions from wood burners result in almost £1bn in health costs a year and are responsible for nearly half the cancer risk caused by urban air pollution.
20…… The government recently encouraged councils to use their powers to issue householders with £300 on-the-spot fines for flouting air pollution rules by burning logs at home. However, English councils have issued only 17 fines over six years, despite more than 18,000 complaints, as it is difficult and expensive to prove guilt.