Air pollution from wood and coal burning in homes is contributing to thousands of premature deaths each year, according to a new health assessment that highlights the hidden dangers of domestic fires and stoves.
Only 8% of people burning wood at home are doing it because they have no other way to heat their home yet stove sales continue to rise,
The research, commissioned by Global Action Plan and Hertfordshire County Council – the organisers of Clean Air Night, reveals that up to 27,000 life years are lost and 2,500 deaths occur annually in the UK that can be attributed, in part, to exposure to pollutants from wood and solid fuel burning. In Hertfordshire alone, approximately 490 life years are lost and 50 deaths occur each year due to this form of air pollution.
The assessment examined two potential interventions to address the problem. Extending smoke control areas to all urban regions across the UK would reduce PM2.5 emissions by 1,591 tonnes per year, representing 14.6% of total annual domestic combustion emissions. This measure would result in approximately 3,500 life years gained annually nationwide.
However, completely stopping all secondary burning would have a far greater impact, decreasing PM2.5 emissions by 7,985 tonnes per year, equal to 73.1% of total annual domestic combustion emissions and 12.3% of all UK PM2.5 emissions. This scenario would result in approximately 16,500 life years gained across the country.
Both scenarios would generate economic savings linked to reduced disease burden, lower NHS healthcare costs, and improved productivity, with greater savings expected if all secondary burning ceased compared to implementing smoke control areas alone.
The NHS could save more than £54 million in healthcare costs and there would be a annual saving of £164 million in wider productivity costs to the UK economy.
The UK government has set targets through its Environment Improvement Plan, aiming for a maximum annual concentration of PM2.5 of 10 µg/m³ or below by 2040, with an interim target of 12 µg/m³ by 2028. The Clean Air (Human Rights) Bill, which had its first reading in Parliament on 1st July 2025, could introduce even more stringent limits for nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter if passed into law.
However, researchers note that the current assessment does not account for indoor air pollution within properties where burning takes place, where exposure impacts are likely to be significantly higher. The World Health Organization linked 154,000 deaths in Europe to household air pollution in 2019, a particularly concerning figure given that people in the UK spend around 80 to 90% of their time indoors.
Larissa Lockwood, Director of Policy & Campaigns at Global Action Plan said: ‘We all need to stay warm this winter, and we also need to think about the health impacts of our heating choices. An open fire or wood burning stove is the most polluting way to heat a home – air pollution from wood burning stoves is cutting lives short, putting people in hospital, and contributing to serious health conditions for people across the UK.
‘It’s an uncomfortable fact, but the health burden of wood burning on the British public is simply too big to ignore. Existing measures to curb wood burning emissions are not tackling the burning problem at hand. The UK Government must take action to ensure everyone can access cleaner, greener and more affordable heating – including ensuring homes are properly insulated – as well as strengthening powers to allow local authorities to tackle air pollution and providing clear guidance for the public on the health harms of burning wood and other solid fuels in our homes.’
Dr Abi Whitehouse is a clinical academic respiratory children’s doctor working in East London who will be speaking at next month’s National Air Quality Conference. She said: ‘As the weather turns colder, many families turn to wood-burning stoves as a heating choice. However, this should not be the default choice – the smoke and fine particles released can worsen asthma symptoms, trigger attacks, and contribute to long-term respiratory issues.
‘For children with asthma, even small increases in indoor air pollution can mean more frequent flare-ups, hospital admissions, and time away from school — consequences that are entirely preventable with cleaner heating choices. It’s not just our own homes that will be impacted, but the air that makes it into the homes of our neighbours as well.’
The full report can be read here.
Leave a Reply