Pollution from wood burning

[HelenUnderwood]

I am really concerned about the pollution from wood burning, even the latest eco stoves which still produce really small particles that get even deeper into lungs.

We are surrounded by them and some neighbours have taken delivery of treated wood (illegal to burn).

There's some really strong evidence confirming the health impact of burning wood, woodsmokepollution.org Doctors and scientists against wood burning. Gary Fuller The Rising Global Threat of Air Pollution and yet it is a growing problem exacerbated by fuel prices (mind you, wood doesn't come about quickly, it takes years to grow and hours to burn).

What can be done? Burning wood is worse than diesel fumes. Help!!!!

Hmm lung problems or crippling debt. Tough choice.

I know I'm really worried OP as it's already very bad where I love each winter and likely to be much worse this year with rising fuel costs. I also have concerns as you say about people burning cheap treated or unseasoned wood to cut costs.

We have a wood burner. Use permitted fuel but neighbours complain. They can complain all they like though dh has cancer and he’s not going to be on chemo and be cold this winter.

Given the crazy increased in electricity and gas, more people will be using wood-burners and fireplaces this year. We made a conscious choice to use ours less last winter, mindful of the possible problems in air quality. This year, we will use it as much as we can so we don't have to use as much gas/electric (we can boil water on the top). All we can do in mitigation is use approved wood. And we won't be the only ones.

I wouldn't be using a wood burner if I already had cancer! I appreciate your options may be limited and he can't be cold but are you aware if the effect on indoor pollution from the use of wood burners; I would be very worried about this having a detrimental impact on his recovery.

amp.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/18/wood-burners-triple-harmful-indoor-air-pollution-study-finds

Close your windows?

Seriously, there’s nothing you can do. It’s perfectly legal to have a fire or wood burning stove and they’re entitled to heat their home. Sorry

If it’s a bit of lung irritation or freezing to death, I know what I would choose.

There's no political will to tackle woodburners in inner city areas, so it will continue. Where I live, they'd rather penalise motorists and the working classes who rely on public transport.

My neighbours will start burning next week when it’s still warm

it sucks having to close the windows. I still do though.

we don’t have a fireplace. The only times I wish we did is when we lose power for more than a few hours and it’s below -15.

Yabu.

I had mine on on Saturday evening when the temperature dropped here. We also had a second one installed last week. People will use them if they can I’m afraid

YANBU

in urban areas there's no excuse for them. rural areas with no mains gas or vulnerable to power cuts etc I can understand.

I think new installations should be banned in towns and cities, an unpopular view I know. they wreak havoc on my breathing on windless days if I'm in the posh areas of town.

however compared to industrial and car pollution it's a 'drop' in the ocean. It's just more obvious to the lay person when you can smell smoke or are having asthma aggravated.

We have a wood burner. Haven’t really used it since moving in because of pollution but this year we have ordered logs and intend to use it to cut costs. As are most of the people I know who have a fire/wood burner It’s shit and I don’t like the idea of my kids or neighbors being polluted but I do think being freezing and damp is probably worse on balance. Humans have survived around open fires for thousands of years.

As the Guardian also believe people can change sex and males should be allowed in female changing rooms if they say they are women, I take anything else they publish with a huge pinch of salt.

Survived.... But we died much younger.

The smogs of the fifties will return.

It really frightens me.

Yes and it's bonkers when they are trying to make us carbon neutral

There is no joined up thinking

Smog is a type of air pollution, created by industrial output and natural weather patterns. London's reliance on coal-fired power plants for electricity and heat, and diesel-powered buses for public transportation, contributed to the Great Smog. London's weather also contributed to the Great Smog.

Smog wasn’t caused by wood burners!

No. It wasn't you are very right, but wood burning is causing the same type of pollution.

I so agree

We have just spoken to our landlords about using our fireplaces and have a chimney sweep coming this week to check if it needs lined. Weve lived here 5 years and never used it but we cant afford to use the heating this year and i have 3 children to keep warm so as much as i want to do my bit for the environment im afraid i also want to be warm and eat so if i can heat my home for the price of some logs thats what ill be doing.

YANBU . Pollution from these log burners is a massive problem, they need to be banned in urban areas.

Im not sure about your pie chart graphf

It just says 'wood burning',, but surely it must break this down into burning wood for bonfires, burning in an open fire, burning treated wood, burning unseasoned wood or burning seasoned untreated wood in a DEFRA approved device

Have you got any studies which break these categories down?

YANBU. We are surrounded by bloody log burning stoves pumping out crap on our street. I have severe asthma and winter is a pain with illness and cold air before you get to the state of the increasingly shite air quality.

Last winter we used ours very little because I felt guilt about the climate and newspaper articles. This year tough shit. The government could reduce our energy bills if it chose to but it clearly isn't so I'm switching off the gas and burning wood!

YANBU, but this year it will be inevitable I think. By not having one in your own home you are going to be doing the best you can, I find it very weird people still install them especially with children. But the energy crisis is very problematic and some people are going to burn wood.

They cost about £400/year to run according to Dr google, so it is neither cheap nor healthy.