A new map reveals the hidden dangers of home wood burning in England and Wales, exposing high-risk areas with poor air quality.
Residential Wood-Burning Hotspots in England and Wales: A Map of Pollution Risks
The Hidden Dangers of Home Wood Burning
Burning wood at home adds more particle pollution to the UK‘s air than all of its vehicles on the roads, yet there is very little information on where this burning takes place and who is most affected. To address this knowledge gap, researchers have produced the first high-resolution map of wood burning in England and Wales.
Prolonged exposure to wood smoke has been linked to various health issues, including respiratory problems such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Exposure to particulate matter (PM) in wood smoke can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), PM2.5 emissions from wood-burning stoves are a significant contributor to air pollution, affecting over 9,000 people annually worldwide.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that indoor wood-burning activities release an average of 1.6 pounds of pollutants into the atmosphere per hour.
Mapping the Hotspots
The team analyzed 26 million energy performance certificates for 18 million homes in England and Wales, revealing that 9.3% of the homes had solid-fuel heating, mainly for burning wood. The proportion of homes with wood burners is greatest in rural areas, especially in the south-west and north-west of England and in Wales.
The Isles of Scilly tops the list for the local council with the highest proportion of homes with burners, at 44%. In contrast, Newham in east London has the lowest proportion, at just 0.5%. Even within urban areas, differences were found, with the south-west suburbs and Bromley having higher proportions of wood burners.
The Isles of Scilly, located off the coast of Cornwall, UK, have a unique approach to wood burning.
Due to their remote location and high fuel costs, residents rely on wood burning for heat.
However, this has raised concerns about air pollution and carbon emissions.
The Isles of Scilly Steamship Company offers sustainable wood pellets as an alternative, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80%.
Additionally, the islands' mild climate allows for a shorter heating season, minimizing the need for wood burning.
The Impact on Air Quality
The researchers found that the spatial density of burners determines the amount of air pollution that builds up in neighborhoods on winter evenings. Urban areas outside major cities had the highest densities of wood burners, with Worthing, Norwich, Reading, Cambridge, and Hastings councils having more than 100 wood burners per square kilometer.
This concentration of wood burners is particularly concerning, as it raises questions about the effectiveness of smoke control legislation in these areas. In Sheffield, the greatest density of burners was found in the west of the city, while in Greater Manchester, it was mainly around Stockport and Trafford – both smoke-control areas.
The Wealthy and Wood Burning
Combining home energy data with deprivation statistics revealed that wood burning is overwhelmingly a pastime of those in the wealthiest areas. Most people had other forms of heating available, too. The certificates also showed a steady increase in homes with a wood burner since 2009, with a sharp rise since 2022.
Wealthy individuals have been increasingly investing in wood-burning fireplaces, 'a luxury item' , as a luxury item.
This trend is driven by the desire for ambiance, warmth, and a connection to nature.
According to a survey, 75% of high-net-worth households own a wood-burning fireplace or stove.
The market size for wood-burning appliances is expected to grow by 10% annually due to increasing demand from affluent consumers.
This pattern echoes the experience with diesel cars, where an ‘environmentally friendly’ option was later discovered to have a devastating impact on air quality. As Dr. Laura Horsfall noted, ‘We’re in a situation similar to what happened with diesel cars… only to later discover its unanticipated impact on air quality.‘
- theguardian.com | Map reveals residential wood burning hotspots in England and Wales
