Policy pathway to reduce air pollution by phasing out domestic burning by 2030

Wood burning in our homes is a key cause of air pollution and has significant impacts both on people’s health and the environment. Stopping the burning of wood and solid fuels in stoves and open fires requires a range of policies and measures from central and local government and industry.

Local authorities are currently seen as the key agents of change, with theoretical powers to establish and enforce Smoke Control Areas (SCAs) and over air pollution in general (for an excellent outline of local authority statutory powers and duties on air pollution, see page 22 of IPPR, 2023). In practice, the current powers are very challenging to implement, do not go far enough, and require more investment in order to be an impactful mitigator.

This - coupled with the approval by central government of stoves and fuels for use inside SCAs, confusing public messaging, and advertising of wood burning stoves - has resulted in an expansion of stove installation and wood burning inside SCAs, the very geographies designated for smoke reduction.

Domestic wood burning is a clear equity issue and should be addressed urgently by the UK government. Domestic burning in the home is now the largest source of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in the UK, yet the proportion of people who burn is very small. Only 8% of the UK population own a wood burner, and of these, only 8% burn out of necessity. This means 92% of people who burn have other forms of heating, further exacerbating health inequalities and disproportionately contributing to a shared problem for everyone.

Not only can PM2.5 cause cardiovascular conditions, respiratory diseases and lung cancer, but the increasing demand for wood fuel is damaging carbon sinks, contributing to climate change and biodiversity loss, and is costing most householders more money than alternative heat sources would. By focusing on increasing public awareness, implementing a phase out of domestic burning by 2030 is both aspirational and achievable.