Wood Smoke....not great news

Whilst we think wood burning is carbon-neutral, and good for the planet, the doctors and scientists think we are killing ourselves

I can understand why countries like UK are worried about wood burning stoves.

I imagine wood burners will go the way of lead paint and asbestos insulation. Once the dangers become apparent, they will be phased out and banned.

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Might work in the U.K., but good luck getting the rural French to ditch wood burners unless La France is going to pick up the tab for fitting heat pumps on cheap electric tarifs in every home.

Going back to the U.K., how are they going to generate the electricity needed? Rubbing unicorns together?

Well its pretty obvious they are not good for us if youā€™ve lived with a wood stove! Especially if you have a chest infection you can really feel it - and asthmatics canā€™t live with themā€¦Even the modern double combustion ones are not brilliant.

Which double combustion ones, yet to finish my survey of PM 2.5 and PM1.0
I will be using mine for a bit longer then switching to a TV screen of wood burning open fire for comfort whilst using a heat pump for actual warmth.

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And then I guess people counter by saying that they only burn dry wood

well, itā€™s coldā€¦ so Iā€™ve lit a fire.
Yes, thereā€™s some smoke leaving the chimney, while itā€™s first warming the flueā€¦ then there will be no smoke, just lovely warmth.

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I have one wood burner and 3 hectares of woodland, so Iā€™m pretty sure Iā€™m carbon neutral.

If anyone wants to give me ā‚¬100,000 to install solar panels, a heat pump system and an EV; Iā€™ll happily pass on my PayPal details.

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Carbon neutrality isnā€™t the issue ā€¦ air pollution is.

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Well, some people who tell you they are doctors and scientists, but who decline to identify themselves (see About Doctors and Scientists Against Wood Smoke Pollution (DSAWSP)), and who havenā€™t updated their website since 2020, say that.

I wouldnā€™t worry.

But I would be interested to know who funded that ā€œresearchā€ and website :wink:

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Hundreds (didnā€™t count) of published scientific papers they referenced in their resources, lots of which they have links to so you can download and read???

ā€œThe wood-burning appliance industry works very hard to convince everyone that buying new wood stoves or simply burning the ā€œrightā€ kind of wood will solve our wood smoke pollution problems. But thatā€™s a lot like promoting filtered cigarettes as a healthier way to smoke. No amount of wood smoke is healthy to breathe, just as no amount of tobacco smoke is healthy.ā€

If wood burners were banned here, people would just open up their proper chimneys and use them like their ancestors did.

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Itā€™s not ideal, but then burning wood is nearly as old as humankind itself, and weā€™ve managed to survive countless thousands of years thanks to it. Everything has an ecological ā€˜costā€™, even so called ā€˜greenā€™ energy and renewables, and if youā€™re worried about health, you could either avoid it, or just take sensible measures in what you burn, and where the smoke goes.

In France, thereā€™s far too many people reliant on wood, I donā€™t see the fundamental human right to use it, going away any time soon. If they did, what would be next? A tax or license for growing your own veg, using only GMO regulated seeds from some big agricultural biotech company!

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whatā€™s ā€œthe wordā€ on wood pellets???

They will cost the same per kilo as cocaine by Xmas?

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Much the same as the best woodburners but statements like "All woodburners " when they have only tested a sample is not that representative.
Pellets use a bit of oil to lubricate them out of the press machine.
Also reports from the USA should be treated with suspicion as Drax energy burn and strip hundreds of acres whilst trying to look green. The big oil and coal industries are very powerful and dont want anyone making their own power or heat.

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Stella, there is a whole section on them

Hmmā€¦ Iā€™m happy with my log burnerā€¦ the wood is best quality, the consumption of which gives no smoke, ash or indigestionā€¦ :wink: :+1: :rofl:

Iā€™ll step back now ā€¦ and enjoy my cosy havenā€¦

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Wonā€™t freezing to death be fatal too.:thinking:

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I am glad to see such a comprehensive resource on this subject which I know is a very sensitive one in France because of its huge reliance on wood as a fuel. It is a shame that the site is not more transparent, with not a single individual named as behind it, as it gives those who find its content inconvenient an out when arguing against it. I get the impression it is based in the US and so perhaps the authors are worried about personal attacks by climate change denialists.

Just Stop Wood!
Throwing tomato soup over a picture as we speak.

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