For these dark evenings, nothing beats a fire or stove for cosiness and atmosphere, right? What you might not realise is your toasty fire can flood your home and the air outside with toxins.
Burning wood and coal in homes contributes to almost 2,500 deaths a year, a new UK study has found. Stopping unnecessary burning would save the NHS more than £54 million (€61.2 million) a year, the research commissioned by charity Global Action Plan and Hertfordshire County Council, and published last month, concluded.
Indeed, domestic burning is one of the largest sources of toxic fine-particle air pollution. Air pollution from domestic fires contributes to new cases of serious health conditions including diabetes and asthma each year. It can lead to heart disease and increase your risk of dementia too.
Curbing air pollution emissions from the burning of wood and other solid fuels has been found to improve health for both children and adults, the study found.
What’s not to like about curling up in front of a cosy fire? Fine-particle air pollution
Airlines are never going to tell us that flying is not sustainable
Toy libraries are helping families save money, cut down on clutter and reduce waste
How we do Halloween is adding to the planet’s mounting graveyard of waste
The numbers in the Republic are pretty stark too. An estimated 1,410 people die prematurely due to air pollution each year, according to figures from the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment. Some 1,300 of these are directly linked to burning solid fuel such as coal or wood, it says.
[ You can’t buy your way out of the terrible situation we have all createdOpens in new window ]
Solid fuel use is one of the biggest sources of air pollution in the State, posing a serious public health challenge. The Government’s Clean Air strategy asks us to do three things to help reduce solid fuel air pollution. The first is to ask yourself, do I really need to light a fire?
Some homes are dependent on solid fuels for heating, others light a fire just for cosiness. Wood stove use in the UK, for example, has been rising since 2022, particularly in urban areas outside big cities, according to Global Action Plan. Many people are choosing to install wood burners for lifestyle reasons.
Some 92 per cent of people burning wood in the UK already have another way to heat their home, according to the research. Only about 10 per cent of people say they burn at home out of necessity. They use their stove or fire for aesthetic appeal. If this is you, ask if the risk to your health and air quality is worth it. If you can, use other, cleaner heating sources, the Department of the Environment asks.
You can check the air quality in your area before you light the fire using the website airquality.ie. Think twice if the air quality is very poor, particularly on days where the air is still and there is no wind to help disperse the smoke from your chimney.
[ Widespread breaches of smoky coal regulations uncovered in DublinOpens in new window ]
If you must use a fire or stove, choose low-smoke fuels and make sure you use the right fuel for your appliance – that’s the second thing, the department advises.
The type of fuel you use has a big impact on the pollution created. Solid Fuel Regulations introduced in October 2022 were designed to improve air quality and health by restricting the retail, online and commercial sale of smoky fuels, including smoky coal, turf and wet wood. They produce high levels of particulate matter and are proven to be a major contributor to air pollution in Ireland.
The regulations prohibit the sale of turf via the internet and other media, and from retail premises and public places – these channels are illegal. If you previously sourced turf from family, friends or neighbours outside of these channels, this can continue. The regulations do not have any impact on turf cutting rights or the burning of turf.
The third step is to have your chimney swept at least once a year, before the start of the heating season, after your fire or stove hasn’t been used in a long time, says the Department. This makes sure the flue is sufficiently clear to allow the fumes to escape.
Breathing fumes from solid fuel and gas fires can cause serious damage to your health, and in the worst cases prove fatal. Regular sweeping will drastically reduce the chances of having a chimney fire and will also help reduce the pollution your fire releases into the neighbourhood.
