Woodburning creates major PM2.5 air pollution issue in West Midlands

Woodburning has a major impact on air quality in Birmingham and the West Midlands – accounting for a substantial proportion of all fine pollution particles and representing a significant risk to public health, a new study reveals.

University of Birmingham researchers found that biomass burning, primarily from woodburning activities, such as heating homes using woodburning stoves or logs on open fires, contributes significantly to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) levels in the region – accounting for some 20% of the total PM_2.5 mass.

Publishing their findings in Atmospheric Environment, the researchers call for targeted measures to mitigate health risks associated with PM_2.5 emissions from woodburning activities.

The experts found woodburning-related PM_2.5 concentrations seven times higher than those observed in 2008-2010. They also discovered that the impact of woodburning is particularly pronounced during winter months, contributing up to around half of PM_2.5 concentrations - a seasonal spike attributed to people heating their homes.

Exposure to elevated PM_2.5 levels poses severe health risks, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, low birthweight, and increased mortality rates. The study estimates that reducing woodburning emissions could significantly decrease mortality and life-years lost due to air pollution in the West Midlands.

Lead author Dr Deepchandra Srivastava commented: "Our study highlights the significant increase in woodburning activity in the past 10 years, making it one of the most important sources of air pollution in the West Midlands.”

Lead investigator of the study, Professor Zongbo Shi commented: “We need to see immediate and coordinated actions at local and national levels to reduce wood burning, improve air quality - including enhancement and enforcement of smoke control areas to curb emissions from woodburning stoves and open fires. This has great potential to reduce PM_2.5-related health risks and decrease mortality in the region.”

The experts also recommend raising public awareness about the health impacts of woodburning and promoting best practices, such as burning only dry, seasoned wood and maintaining stoves properly, as crucial steps in reducing pollution.

Researchers are also calling for local regulations to be strengthened to promote the use of cleaner alternatives, such as electric heating or heat pumps. They say that, to further improve air quality in the West Midlands, wider national and international policy interventions are also needed to address regional and transboundary PM_2.5-related exposure.

Larissa Lockwood, Director of Clean Air at Global Action Plan said: “Lighting fires in our homes is now the largest source of toxic fine particle air pollution in the UK, presenting a range of serious health risks including heart and lung disease, diabetes, and dementia.

“Despite growing evidence of the UK’s burning problem - like this new research from the University of Birmingham - many people are still unaware that wood burning is harming our health and the planet.

“While many work to communicate these harms through moments such as Clean Air Night, we need urgent action from central government to share these harms with people across the UK and empower local authorities to tackle this growing source of air pollution in ways that are appropriate for their local communities. Join people across the country in learning the facts about wood burning this Clean Air Night (22 January 2025).”

This research was conducted as part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)-funded West Midlands Air Quality Improvement Programme (WM-Air), led by Professor William Bloss. Researchers analysed PM_2.5 samples collected in 2021 and 2022 at two urban background sites in Birmingham, utilizing advanced receptor modelling techniques to identify and quantify pollution sources.

PM_2.5 refers to tiny airborne particles or droplets that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter and represents a serious health concern because it can be inhaled into our lungs and cause a range of health issues. It can come from a variety of sources, including woodburning, vehicle and industrial emissions, power plants, cooking, cigarettes, and smoking.