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!!!!

Yet the option isn't woodburning or cold it's wood burning and other sources of heat.

The last thing you want is people to make up their own minds, ha! You want everyone to convert to your opinion. Sheesh. Comes near top of most disingenuous statements I've ever seen on MN.

@FrecklesMalone but it is for so many people exactly that choice - a wood or multi fuel stove for heat or being cold. The reason may differ between individuals - money, no other way to get heat into their home, power cuts, lengthy waits for other ways to be installed etc
Cold and damp kills and costs the nhs.

But 90% of people in the UK that have them are middle class in the city

It might seem like that to you but it isn't true. There are hundreds of villages that use them for the simple reason that we aren't on a gas main.

That’s simply not true. Do you have stats to back that up?

we have no gas in our village. People therefore have wood burners

Validated research please.
As pp stated - simply not true. For a start, by the very nature of the forms of housing available between cities and the countryside, any person with a modicum of common sense will realise that there will
be a higher density of indoor fires in all forms, in non city residential environments. But please give stats to prove otherwise.

You know it's the plugin and candles that stink homes out that concern me lung wise. Interesting article below

www.asthma.org.uk/about/media/news/5-surprising-winter-asthma-triggers/

I'm fine with wood burners and open fires but folks that have these candles have me scrabbling in my bag for the inhaler

We have open fires and stoves. The only thing that gets me gasping for fresh air are the self cleaning electric ovens. Heaven knows what level of particulate emissions from them are. They make my eyes hurt.

I have resorted to the old fashioned scrubbing method to clean them.

When baby DS was using cloth nappies, the nursery insisted on putting used nappies in a perfumed NappySack. One time upon opening one, I inhaled too much of the perfume and had a 5 minute coughing fit. OMG nasty. Can't believe those perfumed sacks were legal. I learned to have my face far from bag when opening, after that.

In 18 years of use, Woodburner never gave me a coughing fit. Sometimes I'm aware of dust when cleaning the ashes out, I guess.

What makes the biggest difference is when its cut, wood cut in spring summer will have far more moisture/sap than wood cut down in December, hence takes longer to dry.

Personally, having had an old Villager stove and a new EcoDesign one, i'd ban the older stoves, they are simply dangerous and very inefficient, why anyone would burn green wood is beyond me, it gives out very limited heat.

Personally, having had an old Villager stove and a new EcoDesign one, i'd ban the older stoves, they are simply dangerous

In what way did this danger from your old Villager stove present itself?

Presumably you survived the ordeal?

The smoke into the front room when the wind blew, the heavy smoke from the chimney, none of it good.

I know you are being facetious but one can survive danger.... or do you think a Hillman Avenger (i survived one of those) is as safe as a modern car? Designs move on.

There's a chance you will give them health problems too, perhaps even cancer. Have you felt good about this possibility already or have you just realised?

Can you quote the breakdown in that 40% to

• burning unseasoned wood on an open fire
• burning seasoned wood on an open fire
• burning unseasoned wood in a wood burner
• burning seasoned wood in a wood burner
• the difference in the latter figures between Defra approved and non defra approved
• burning unseasoned wood in a bonfire
• burning seasoned wood in a bonfire

@bellac11 no they can’t as the report self admits that it has just lumped them all together, along with stoves with back boilers, as one ‘unit’ of burn. It admits that this is probably wrong.

Its hugely wrong and why at the moment I cant really pay it any mind

I cant remember if it was this thread or another one where I asked this question before and no one bothered to answer.

And as others have pointed out, 60% of pollution from heating and eating/cooking is not from wood burning, shall we now phase out all gas cookers/hobs, ban BBQs, ban boilers?

The reality is that there is a cost to modern life, our homes do need heating and there are huge health risks to cold/mouldy/damp environments.

or do you think a Hillman Avenger (i survived one of those) is as safe as a modern car?

Overall, no, I don’t. Although, in some respects it is probably safer. Are you campaigning to get them banned too?

Unlike a Villager, an original Hillman Avenger might be worth something, have you got one for sale?

Or are you just a time waster?

@bellac11 totally agree with you. I did point out that several flaws to the poster of the study - they’ve yet to address any with solid counter arguments, or provide an alternative study.
Everything about our lives has a cost as well as a benefit. I’m this case I too, prefer heat and comfort over cold/damp/mildew and their subsequent health consequences.

Yes absolutely