Norfolk man with lung disease: more awareness on wood burning needed
National data shows there was just one prosecution in England for this practice, despite nearly 15,200 complaints
A local man with lung disease says a national awareness campaign is needed around the dangers of wood burning.
Official figures show there were over 15 thousand complaints about it, over a year, but just 24 fines in England.
""In some of the worst case that can result in hospital stays for multiple days"
Matt White from Norwich says it plays havoc on his mental and physical health:
"When I am around wood smoke I feel an instant tightening of my chest and get a wheeze. I've also had multiple chest infections in the Autumn and Winter when there's more pollution around.
"In some of the worst case that can result in hospital stays for multiple days.
He told what will happen unless action's taken:
"We will have a lot of people getting sick and dying needlessly from toxic air and the effects of it.
"But it's not just about lung disease, either. Air pollution is also linked to heart disease, dementia and has been shown to stunt the growth of organs in developing children.
There is concern from some health professionals and researchers about the increasing number of people with lung cancer who have never smoked, with exposure to stoves burning wood or coal in poorly ventilated rooms being a possible risk factor.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health advises phasing out domestic wood burning in urban areas to protect children's health. Exposure to air pollution is now the second leading risk factor for death in children under five, both globally and in the UK.
Campaigners say new wood burning stoves billed as more environmentally friendly still emit six times the mass of PM2.5 than a diesel Euro 6 HGV, on an equivalent hourly operational basis.
The Royal College of Physicians’ 2025 ‘A Breath of Fresh Air Report’ also estimates that in 2019 air pollution cost our economy upwards of £27 billion per year in core healthcare costs and productivity losses.
A recent study shows that people who use solid fuel wood burners for home heating experience a faster decline in lung function compared to non-users.
Researchers at University College London found that the use of solid fuel was associated with a more rapid decline in FEV₁, a key indicator of lung capacity and respiratory health.
Meanwhile there has been a rise in the number of houses burning wood in the UK.
A recent analysis of Energy Performance Certificates by University College London revealed the percentage of houses that have wood burners has risen from 9.4% in 2022 to 10.3% in 2024.
The Government says its committed to reducing emissions from domestic burning to protect public health