Doctors react as Scotland ditches wood burning ban

A group of Scottish doctors have criticised the Scottish Government for u-turning on regulations that would have banned the installation of wood burning stoves in newbuild homes.

The New Build Heat Standard (NBHS) regulations, have now been reworded to permit ‘the installation of bioenergy and peat main heating systems – and any type of secondary heating systems’.

The original regulations came into force in April this year but were temporarily suspended in September, pending the outcome of a review. The result of that review is the scrapping of the new regulations completely.

Alasdair Allan, Acting Minister for Climate Action said: ‘We have listened to concerns from rural and island communities about resilience in times of bad weather or power outages, as well as the wider use of bioenergy and peat for other reasons. These changes address these concerns whilst retaining the spirit of the original legislation, which aims to eradicate polluting gas and oil boilers from new homes and buildings.’

Among a number of health professionals speaking out against this was Professor Jill Belch, Co-Chair of The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh’s short-life working group on air pollution, who said: ‘Wood burning in the UK accounts for the majority of the killer pollution particles, PM2.5 in our air. It can produce over 600 times more air pollution than a diesel truck in a wood burner’s sitting room. Wood burning has been implicated in many lung diseases but also in invasive breast cancer, and lung cancer in non-smokers.

‘Peoples’ health is at stake. The Scottish Government could have applied a restriction to the installation of wood burners in cities and also in air quality management areas (AQMAs). There is huge disappointment about this decision within the medical profession, and we ask the Scottish Government to think again.’

Professor Andrew Elder, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said: ‘Poor air quality remains the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK and the evidence about the dangers of particulate matter on human health is strong. Given the quantities of PM2.5 that are produced by wood burners, the Scottish Government must reconsider its position on a ban on their installation in urban areas without delay.’

Dr Munro Stewart, RCGP Scotland Clinician Representative for Climate and Sustainability, said ‘Wood burners in urban areas increase the amount lung disease we see in children, increase the risks of heart attacks, strokes, dementia and cause cancers. We have a duty as doctors to speak up for our patients who suffer from air pollution and we are concerned about the harm that delaying legislation will cause.’

RCPCH Officer for Scotland, Dr Mairi Stark said: ‘Air pollution is one of the biggest risks to children’s health, and exposure to air pollution is now the second leading risk factor for death in children under 5, both globally and in the UK. Wood burning stoves, though more common in wealthier urban areas, contribute significantly to this issue and disproportionately impact more vulnerable populations.

‘Children are especially vulnerable to air pollution because they inhale more air than adults in proportion to their body weight. Breathing in dirty air as a child irreversibly stunts lung growth and continues to affect lung capacity in adulthood and increases the risk of chronic disease later in life.

‘Recognising these risks, paediatricians strongly support national policies and legislation aimed at improving indoor and outdoor air quality. Phasing out of wood burning stoves in urban areas in favour of cleaner heating sources is a crucial step towards protecting child health, therefore we are disappointed to see the ban won’t progress.’