Experts say the pollutants emitted by log burning stoves could be extremely dangerous.
Brits have been issued an urgent health warning this autumn as experts say a popular way of heating the home could be exposing you to some dangerous pollutants. There are more than 1.5 million wood-burning stoves in the UK, but these could prove to be potentially deadly.
As energy prices remain high, many households have made the switch in a bid to save cash. While this might be the case, there are warnings in place that they could be doing more harm than good.
In recent years log burners have been linked to nearly 50 percent of people’s exposure to cancer-causing chemicals found in air pollution particles in urban areas, as reported by LeicestershireLive. And though once thought to be an eco-friendly heating solution, trees are not being planted at a rate to keep up with the amount of CO2 released by burning them.
According to Government regulations: “Burning at home, particularly with traditional house coal or wet wood, is a major source of the pollutant PM2.5 – which has been identified by the World Health Organisation as the most serious air pollutant for human health.”
As part of a drive to limit the potential risks, many parts of the UK are now smoke control areas – meaning there are restrictions on what you can burn and the stoves you can use. However, despite legislation there are still concerns over the serious health problems associated with having one in your home.
One such concern centres around carcinogenic chemicals that could be emitted from wood-burning stoves. Although wood burners have to meet specific requirements to be sold, the Ecodesign models still emit a staggering 750 times more tiny particle pollution than a modern HGV truck, a report by the European Environmental Bureau says.
And Government figures show that wood burning in towns and cities contributes to thousands of early deaths each year, estimated at around up to 38,000 in England alone. Toxic particles released into our air, much of which is caused by wood burning, has been linked to health problems such as heart and lung disease, dementia and even mental illness in children.
One 2022 report published by Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, showed that Ecodesign models in homes produce 450 times more emissions than gas central heating. The report said: “Solid fuels are by far the most polluting method of domestic heating, and wood burning has increased in popularity over recent years.”
Chris Whitty said: “Air pollution affects us all. It is associated with impacts on lung development in children, heart disease, stroke, cancer, exacerbation of asthma and increased mortality, among other health effects. Except for air pollution in our own homes, we have little control as individuals over the level of pollution that we and our families breathe – this must be seen as a societal problem to solve.”
Although he acknowledged outdoor air quality in this country has “improved significantly” he said more is needed to be done, adding that indoor air pollution is becoming an “increasing proportion of the problem”. He said: “We need a better understanding of how we can prevent and reduce indoor air pollution.”
