Clear Air Coalition warns the Scottish Authorities should get harder on wooden burning

To mark Clear Air Night time (22 January), Wholesome Air Scotland, a coalition of public well being, transport and environmental charities is asking on the Scottish Authorities to handle the general public well being impacts attributable to home burning.

The decision from Wholesome Air Scotland comes because the coalition launches its manifesto forward of the Scottish election in Might. The campaigners are calling on the subsequent Scottish Authorities to take significantly the risks of burning strong fuels by banning new stoves in properties, with an exception for houses off-grid and in distant and rural areas recognized to expertise prolonged energy cuts.

A key ask by the coalition is for the Scottish Authorities to spend money on campaigns to alert the general public to the well being harms ensuing from inhaling dangerous emissions produced by burning strong fuels, significantly those that don’t must burn wooden or coal for his or her important supply of warmth.

High quality particulate matter (PM2.5) may cause respiratory issues and result in the event of bronchial asthma or power obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD).¹

Home wooden burning has develop into the only greatest supply of small particle air air pollution within the UK, producing greater than street visitors.²

The practicalities of monitoring this sort of air pollution, significantly when it will get indoors, is the main target of this text, drawing upon insights from ACOEM UK, a agency that’s offering air-quality monitoring to help Clear Air Night time in London.

One of many coalition founders, Bronchial asthma + Lung UK Scotland, has shared new polling information, undertaken by Opinion Issues, which seems to point out that greater than half of Scots (53%) surveyed are involved there was not sufficient consciousness concerning the well being impacts of wooden burning stoves. When requested if burning strong fuels ought to be phased out on account of dangerous pollution, 49% agreed, with 22% disagreeing.

In line with Bronchial asthma + Lung UK Scotland, a number one lung well being charity, burning wooden will increase the degrees of harmful pollution within the dwelling in addition to within the air exterior, which might negatively have an effect on those that stay, work and play close by however select to not use wooden burners.

The coalition is asking on events to undertake its key suggestions on home burning of their get together manifesto forward of the Might election:

• Ship a public consciousness marketing campaign on the well being impacts of air air pollution, together with utilizing woodburning stoves and open fires
• Ban the set up of latest stoves in new properties besides these off grid or in areas that have energy shortages
• Implement a range scrappage scheme
• Monitor air high quality in areas round faculties, nurseries, hospitals and care houses.

Gareth Brown, Chair of Wholesome Air Scotland and Coverage and Public Affairs Officer at Bronchial asthma + Lung UK Scotland, stated:

“Though individuals are involved about their lung well being and air air pollution, lower than half of individuals questioned in our survey had been conscious of the risks of wooden burning stoves, that is extraordinarily worrying.

“The thought of a comfy wooden burner in our houses may sound interesting, however the actuality is it may very well be placing you, your loved ones and neighbours’ lung well being in danger. Burning strong fuels like wooden, generates air air pollution each inside and outdoors houses, significantly PM2.5, which is among the most dangerous pollution to human well being.

“Many individuals incorrectly assume wooden burning stoves are a greater different to coal or gasoline and are unaware of the risks it may possibly trigger to their well being. Lungs might be irritated by the fumes from wooden burners forcing some individuals with lung circumstances to remain inside or danger worsening their signs.

“That’s why we’re urging the political events in Scotland to prioritise educating the general public concerning the well being dangers of air air pollution, with a specific give attention to the dangerous results of home woodburning.”

Professor Jill Belch, Chair of the Air Air pollution Working Group on the Royal Faculty of Physicians of Edinburgh, stated:

“Wooden burning silently damages well being, within the dwelling and in the neighborhood. These tiny particles are invisible however are produced in important portions by dwelling wooden burning, even with so known as ‘eco-stoves’. It’s estimated that wooden burning produces extra PM2.5 – probably the most damaging air air pollution particle – than energy stations. It’s under-recognised that wooden burning produces 400 occasions extra particles than a gasoline boiler.

“Moreover, a wood-burning range can produce ranges of PM2.5 much like these generated by diesel exhausts – besides with wooden burning, the air pollution is launched straight into houses, and into communities. The Scottish Authorities ought to think about proscribing wooden burning within the dwelling to these with no different dependable supply of warmth.”

Mandy Cairns, Communities Towards Woodsmoke stated:

“We’re listening to from individuals throughout the nation whose well being, and the well being of their households, is being harmed by smoke from the rising set up of wood-burning stoves of their neighbourhood with many of those woodburning stoves being fitted primarily for aesthetic causes.

“Sadly, public consciousness of how dangerous wooden burning stays low and native authorities have restricted efficient powers to stop this intrusive air pollution from affecting communities”.

Notes
[1] https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/living-with/air-pollution/your-lungs
[2] Emissions of air pollution – GOV.UK