Bristol has seen a huge rise in the number of houses installing wood burners over the past decade. In the wealthier parts of the city where many Victorian and Georgian houses have been renovated, there are fears that they cause pollution.
A group of citizen scientists taking part in the first community-led project targeting toxic smoke from wood burners has discovered new evidence about their dangers.
Ten volunteers based in a rapidly gentrifying Bristol inner-city neighbourhood with one of the highest concentrations of solid fuel-burning appliances in the city, recorded 11 breaches of World Health Organization daily guidelines for ultra-fine particulate pollution over a period of six months.
The project is thought to be the first where volunteers have been given inexpensive monitoring technology to gauge pollution caused by domestic combustion.
The deprived parts of St Pauls and better-off Bristol neighbourhoods are encompassed by the sensors. During the weekend when some residents were burning wood and during rush hours when cars were queueing on local roads, his sensor picked up more pollution.
He said that the pollution was high because people were burning wood up the hill.
Steve Crawshaw, who manages the project for the council, said that domestic wood burning was a growing problem. The number of days exceeding WHO guidelines in the ward was in line with the city average, but still a cause of concern.
Fine particulate matter of 2.5 micrometres or 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 is 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 is 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 is 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 is 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465
The evidence shows that virtually any level of PM 2.5 is harmful.
In the decade after 2007, the number of log burners installed in Bristol increased sevenfold.
We have forgotten the journey we have been on with clean air. At least 4,000 people died in London in the 1950s due to the pollution. Most people stopped burning wood because it was dirty. It has become a fashionable lifestyle choice.
The council hopes the project will raise awareness of the health impact of wood smoke and encourage residents to turn on their central heating instead of loading up their log burners in the colder months. We want citizen scientists to become community ambassadors for improving air quality and changing behavior in the city.
Even if people burn clean, dry wood, those stoves are still grossly polluting compared with the new wood burners that will be required from the start of this year.
Middle-class homes are not the only ones emitting smoke in the ward. There is a van-dwelling community with some burning wood to stay warm. Some struggling families are using open fires again because of soaring energy costs.
Health experts warn against using wood burning stoves.
Some people living in poverty don't have an alternative to having an open fire in one room and turning off the central heating. We are taking a socially just approach.
According to the latest analysis from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, wood burners and open fires are responsible for more pollution than road traffic. Between 2010 and 2020 emissions from domestic wood burning increased by a third.
A new target for small particulates is being considered by the government. This is close to existing levels in cities such as Bristol and double safe concentrations set by the WHO.
Since 2010, PM 2.5 pollution has fallen by 18%, but more needs to be done, according to a Defra spokesman.
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