Sheffield councillor calls for warning on home log burner pollution dangers
A Sheffield councillor has called for public warnings about the air pollution dangers of log-burning stoves in homes, described as “like being stood by a five-lane motorway”.
Coun Peter Gilbert called for action at Sheffield City Council’s environmental services and regulation policy committee on Friday (February 6) during a discussion on a policy that covers how the council tackles a range of issues including fly-tipping.
He said: “Do you feel there is also a need for proactive action on domestic log burning? We know it’s one of the big public health problems in the city, polluting people inside their own homes.
“As a council, do we have a duty in our communications to educate people so that we prevent them from harming themselves?”
Ian Ashmore, council assistant director of environmental regulation and licensing, replied that there is currently a public consultation on log burning that the council will be responding to.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is seeking views on proposals to reduce emissions from solid fuel burning, including from wood-burning stoves. The consultation runs until March 19.
“I think that the evidence is that it’s a growing issue,” said Mr Ashmore.
Inappropriate
“We’ve dealt with some of the big macro industrial pollution issues and people come back to their homes and their streets and find that SO2 [sulfur dioxide] and other particulate levels are actually quite high because of inappropriate log burning.
“On one level Sheffield should probably be better than some areas because of the Clean Air Act and the fact that we’ve got a smoke-free zone.”
He said that Sheffielders living in the Clean Air Zone should only be using a DEFRA-approved stove that doesn’t allow as much damping down as other models.
Mr Ashmore said the council will put out more information and advice later this year, asking for help from residents’ associations to spread the word.
He added: “We do respond to all complaints on this. It’s rare that we have to take action because in our experience in most cases, once they realise there’s a problem, people will tend to modify their behaviour and be a bit more careful with them.”
Although correctly-operated DEFRA-approved stoves comply with the Clean Air Zone, their misuse or using them to burn inappropriate materials can be an offence.
Risk
Mr Ashmore said there is a lack of awareness on some streets of just how bad the pollution levels are.
He referred to research which has shown that internal air pollution is massively increased in homes with a log burner. He said that people should know about the risk to their health.
When they go into their living rooms with log burners, “every time they open that door, it’s like being stood by a five-lane motorway, almost”, said Mr Ashmore.
“I think as more people appreciate that, we will see a reduction in use because that could be significant, particularly when you’ve got quite well-sealed homes as well.”
Coun Joe Otten said that many people, including the environmentalist George Monbiot, have now realised that what was at one time thought to be a more environmentally-friendly heating option hasn’t turned out to be.