With the introduction of wood burning stoves there has been a considerable increase in airborne pollution.

[Peter70]

This includes vast quantities of soot and other harmful material that cause respiratory irritation and breathing problems that can give rise to cancers. As the Local Authority will not help, there seems to be no way of having the pollution controlled. Can anyone suggest any options?

[stilltruckin]

amazon.co.uk/ANTI-POLLUTION...

[rick1]

I'm supposed to live in what they call a smokeless zone (whatever that means) but with all the pollution there is today from traffic aircraft, chemical industries to name but a few is it any wonder there are lung deceases!

[Hidden]

If you are in UK you may want to contact Defra:

uk-air.defra.gov.uk/

Where does your statement title come from Peter70, can you provide the link please?

Is it relating to a specific area in uk where it has been noticed there is an increase in use of wood burning stoves?

Hope you find the defra link useful.

[stilltruckin]

telegraph.co.uk/property/in...

[Quote] According to David Spencer at the Stove Industry Alliance, 180,000 wood-burners were installed last year, with close to one million homes in Britain now having one. The National Association of Chimney Sweeps says business has increased 40 per cent over the past couple of years as a result of this stove mania.

But last month a report in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), cast a sooty cloud over these status symbols. It said that fine particles – “biomass particulates” – such as those produced by wood-burners were bad for men’s – though, reassuringly, not women’s – health. Two towns in the Australian state of Tasmania, Launceston and Hobart, were examined. In Launceston the proportion of homes heated by wood-burners halved over a three-year period, after the council made a strenuous effort to switch consumers to central heating. Male deaths from cardiovascular diseases fell by 18 per cent, and from respiratory diseases by 23 per cent. In contrast, in Hobart, where the number of stoves was unchanged, no fall in mortality rates was recorded. This report comes two years after a Danish report which said the stoves were pumping out cancer-causing emissions. . . .[/quote]

[chrissie53]

I live in a small village where probably half the population have multi fuel burners or wood burners,,we don,t have much of a option here, oil heating or storage heaters,,also most still have open fires in winter,,me included,,and i don,t think its ever been mentioned,, I have copd and its never bothered me,,learnt to clear the ashes in double quick time, so i don,t breath the ash dust in,, maybe i,ll ask in the pub at weekend if it bothers anybody,,

[richardcrossroads]

wood smoke is a problem for those people with lung disease, I find it so. but it depends on the severity of the disease, I find it similar to second hand cigarette smoke, my lungs sort of close down.

Richard

[caroleoctober]

My neighbour has a wood burner and as soon as it is lit it has the same effect on me as a bbq or bonfire! All doors and windows have to be closed or I am on a coughing marathon and normally I don't cough much. Keep smiling.

Carole x

[dane]

Hi. We moved back to the Uk from Denmark, there is a lot of houses which have wood stoves, its a lot cheaper to heat your house. there was a new law passed, if you had to have a new woodstove, you would have to get what they call a convection one, we used to have one, but we took it our as we had central heating installed, and that was a pellet burner, you can also buy a woodstove for the living room , which uses pellets, so much cleaner as well, they did do a big survey regarding wood burners, and they said, it causes all sorts to people healths, but at the end of the day, it cost so much to heat your house out there, due to all the taxes.

But for a woodburner you do need to make sure the wood is all dry, if its not it will cause a lot of soot, and ofcause the smoke from the chimmey is not very good for your health either, and you do not got the heat from the wood, if its wet.

and also it could cause a chimmey fire as well.

have a good day, and keep warm

dane

[Rossie21]

Our neighbour opposite at the beginning of last winter installed a woodbuning stove..Our roof is higher than their chimney so that smoke gets trapped on our forcourt and then finds its way into our house through closed windows and doors .The Envionmental Health dept .say it is not a satutary nuisance ! I have contacted 2 cllr. and the MP but they just refer back to EH.

We no longer have the right to breath clean air.! What about the Clean Air Act.

[ilovethedoos in reply to Rossie21]

We are in the same boat and have set up a FB page. If you have an account, please visit and "like" us:

facebook.com/aschimneys

[michelemckeown in reply to Rossie21]

Please check out The Wood Smoke Activist!

You can take out a private prosecution as you have been denied the right to enjoy your home.The local authority has not looked after your health.The US,Canada and Australia-NZ are now very aware of the negative health effects of wood burning-we are years behind. [e-mail]

[Rossie21]

Peter 70 As you can see we have the same problem. Did you find any answers on Defra?