• There is new and mounting evidence that shows wood burning harms your wallet, your health and the planet.

• Lighting fires in our homes (domestic burning) is the single biggest source of harmful small particle air pollution in the UK. Burning wood accounts for 75% of these emissions.¹

• Over the past ten years, the amount of harmful small particle air pollution caused by domestic burning has more than doubled, while the pollution caused by industry and cars, vans and lorries is decreasing.²

• Wood burning in an open fire or stove – even an “ecodesign” stove – is the most polluting way to heat your home.³ Even homes with the newest “ecodesign” wood burners are three times more polluted than those without.³

• Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to our health. The more harmful small particle air pollution you are exposed to, the more likely you are to die from heart or lung disease or lung cancer. It can also cause diabetes, damage your brain health and lead to dementia, and affect unborn children.³

• For the same amount of heat or energy, burning wood releases more carbon dioxide (CO2) than oil or gas.⁴

• Wood burners are almost always more expensive to heat your home than gas boilers or heat pumps.⁵

• We know that this information is not widely known or spoken about. The aim of Clean Air Night is to empower the public with the facts about wood burning so they can make informed choices for themselves, their health and their community.

[1] Emissions of air pollutants in the UK – Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5)
[2] Emissions of air pollutants in the UK - tables
[3] Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2022: air pollution
[4] Range and uncertainties in estimating delays in greenhouse gas mitigation potential of forest bioenergy sourced from Canadian forests
[5] Wood burning is more expensive than central heating

• Wood burning in an open fire or stove (even an “ecodesign” stove) is the most polluting way to heat your home.¹

• Even homes with the newest “ecodesign” wood burners are three times more polluted than those without.¹

• The more harmful small particle air pollution you are exposed to, the more likely you are to die from heart or lung disease or lung cancer. It can also cause diabetes, damage your brain health and lead to dementia, and affect unborn children.¹

• The harmful pollution created by wood burners doesn’t only affect you – it’s also released into the atmosphere and can damage the health of those living around you. Most people who use wood burners in their home live in towns or cities, which creates poor air quality in these more densely populated areas.

• We know that this information is not widely known or spoken about. The aim of Clean Air Night is to empower the public with the facts about wood burning so they can make informed choices for themselves, their health and their community.

[1] Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2022: air pollution

• Over twice as many people who burn indoors live in towns and cities than in rural areas.¹

• Only 8% of those burning indoors have no alternative source of heating – and most of these people live in rural areas and are on lower incomes.¹

• Most people who burn wood live in cities and are from more affluent households¹ – yet everyone, including the most vulnerable, experiences the consequences in neighbouring homes and communities.

• Lighting fires in our homes (domestic burning) is the single biggest source of harmful small particle air pollution in the UK. Burning wood accounts for 75% of these emissions.²

• Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to our health. The more harmful small particle air pollution you are exposed to, the more likely you are to die from heart or lung disease or lung cancer. It can also cause diabetes, damage your brain health and lead to dementia, and affect unborn children.³

• We know that this information is not widely known or spoken about. The aim of Clean Air Night is to empower the public with the facts about wood burning so they can make informed choices for themselves, their health and their community.

[1] Burning in UK Homes and Gardens
[2] Emissions of air pollutants in the UK – Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5)
[3] Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2022: air pollution

• There was a 40% increase in purchases of wood burners between 2021-22, and the Stove Industry Alliance expects sales to rise even further this winter.

• In January 2023 London’s air was the dirtiest it has been in six years – up to 70% of the soot/black carbon in the air came from wood burning.¹

• Only 8% of those burning wood do so because they have no other choice.² Most people burn for aesthetic and lifestyle reasons, or because they believe it’s cheaper than using other forms of heating.

• Wood burning in an open fire or stove (even an “ecodesign” stove) is the most polluting way to heat your home.³

• Wood burners are almost always more expensive to heat your home than gas boilers or heat pumps.⁴

• For the same amount of heat or energy, burning wood releases more carbon dioxide (CO2) than oil or gas.⁵

• We know that this information is not widely known or spoken about. The aim of Clean Air Night is to empower the public with the facts about wood burning so they can make informed choices for themselves, their health and their community.

[1] Worst London air pollution in six years as home fires burn
[2] Burning in UK Homes and Gardens
[3] Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2022: air pollution
[4] Wood burning is more expensive than central heating
[5] Range and uncertainties in estimating delays in greenhouse gas mitigation potential of forest bioenergy sourced from Canadian forests

• There is new and mounting evidence that shows wood burning harms your wallet, your health and the planet.

• Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to our health. Lighting fires in our homes (domestic burning) is the single biggest source of harmful small particle air pollution in the UK.¹

• We want to help protect people and planet by shining a light on myths about wood burning being cheaper or more environmentally friendly.

• We know that this information is not widely known or spoken about. The aim of Clean Air Night is to empower the public with the facts about wood burning so they can make informed choices for themselves, their health and their community.

[1] Emissions of air pollutants in the UK – Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5)

• Smoke control areas (SCAs) are areas in England where wood cannot be burned, except in an exempt appliance – also known as “ecodesign” stoves.

• But, wood burning in an open fire or stove – even an “ecodesign” stove – is the most polluting way to heat your home. Even homes with the newest “ecodesign” wood burners are three times more polluted than those without.¹

• There is new and mounting evidence that shows wood burning harms your wallet, your health and the planet.

• Lighting fires in our homes (domestic burning) is the single biggest source of harmful small particle air pollution in the UK. Burning wood accounts for 75% of these emissions.²

• Over the past ten years, the amount of harmful small particle air pollution caused by domestic burning has more than doubled, while the pollution caused by industry and cars, vans and lorries is decreasing.³

[1] Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2022: air pollution
[2] Emissions of air pollutants in the UK – Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5)
[3] Emissions of air pollutants in the UK, Tables

• For the same amount of heat or energy, burning wood releases more carbon dioxide (CO2) than oil or gas.¹

• Cutting down trees destroys forests, damages ecosystems and leads to biodiversity loss.²

[1] Range and uncertainties in estimating delays in greenhouse gas mitigation potential of forest bioenergy sourced from Canadian forests
[2] A stand of trees does not a forest make: Tree plantations and forest transitions

• While open fires are the most polluting way to heat your home, even homes with the newest “ecodesign” wood burners are three times more polluted than those without.¹

• Almost twice as many people who burn indoors use a stove rather than an open fire.²

[1] Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2022: air pollution
[2] Burning in UK Homes and Gardens

• Even homes with the newest “ecodesign” wood burners are three times more polluted than those without.¹

• For the same amount of heat or energy, burning wood releases more carbon dioxide (CO2) than oil or gas.²

• Cutting down trees destroys forests, damages ecosystems and leads to biodiversity loss.³

• The “ecodesign” label on stoves is unfortunately misleading consumers to believe that burning wood in these stoves doesn’t produce pollution or harm the environment – whereas the truth is that wood burning harms your health and the planet.

• We know that this information is not widely known or spoken about. The aim of Clean Air Night is to empower the public with the facts about wood burning so they can make informed choices for themselves, their health and their community.

[1] Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2022: air pollution

[2] Range and uncertainties in estimating delays in greenhouse gas mitigation potential of forest bioenergy sourced from Canadian forests

[3] A stand of trees does not a forest make: Tree plantations and forest transitions

• Wood burning in an open fire or stove is the most polluting way to heat your home.¹

• Burning well-dried wood will reduce the amount of pollutants produced to a quarter of the pollution of wet wood, but it is still highly polluting compared to other heat sources.¹

• Burning wet or contaminated wood is even worse for your health. If you burn wet wood, the fuel will burn at a lower temperature and result in a higher level of air pollution. Burning contaminated wood, such as painted or treated/preserved wood, will also create more air pollution.

[1] Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2022: air pollution

• There is new and mounting evidence that shows wood burning harms your wallet, your health and the planet.

• We know that this information is not widely known or spoken about. The aim of Clean Air Night is to empower the public with the facts about wood burning so they can make informed choices for themselves, their health and their community.

• Bonfires contribute to outdoor air pollution, so they are an issue, but not what we are focusing on in this campaign. Indoor wood burning stoves also contribute to outdoor air pollution for all of the neighbourhood around each burner.

• Wood burning in restaurants contributes to outdoor and indoor air pollution, so it is an issue, but not what we are focusing on in this campaign.

• Wood burners are almost always more expensive to heat your home than gas boilers or heat pumps.¹

• The exception is if you have access to a forest and can forage your own wood – but then the wood must be dried properly, for at least two years.

• Even homes that have the newest “ecodesign” wood burners are three times more polluted than those without.²

• Our economic research results are the average of a 15-year projection which takes into account future trends in energy prices.

[1] Wood burning is more expensive than central heating
[2] Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2022: air pollution

• Lighting fires in our homes (domestic burning) is the single biggest source of harmful small particle air pollution in the UK. Burning wood accounts for 75% of these emissions.¹

• Wood burners and open fires produce more harmful small particle air pollution in the UK than cars, vans and lorries.²

• Over the past ten years, the amount of harmful small particle air pollution caused by domestic burning has more than doubled, while the pollution caused by industry and cars, vans and lorries is decreasing.³

[1] Emissions of air pollutants in the UK – Particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5)
[2] Emissions of air pollutants in the UK - Summary
[3] Emissions of air pollutants in the UK - tables

• There is new and mounting evidence that shows wood burning harms your wallet, your health and the planet.

• We know that this information is not widely known or spoken about. The aim of Clean Air Night is to empower the public with the facts about wood burning so they can make informed choices for themselves, their health and their community.

• Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to our health, and lighting fires in our homes (domestic burning) is the single biggest source of harmful small particle air pollution in the UK.

• It tends to be the wealthiest who use wood burners in cities¹ – yet everyone, including the most vulnerable, experiences the consequences in neighbouring homes and communities.

• Ultimately, wood burners are a luxury we can’t afford in urban areas.

[1] Burning in UK Homes and Gardens

• Air pollution is the biggest environmental threat to our health, and lighting fires in our homes (domestic burning) is the single biggest source of harmful small particle air pollution in the UK.

• There is new and mounting evidence that shows wood burning harms your wallet, your health and the planet.

• We know that this information is not widely known or spoken about. The aim of Clean Air Night is to empower the public with the facts about wood burning so they can make informed choices for themselves, their health and their community.