By taking some simple steps to burn well and burn better or simply burn less often, we can improve the air we breathe at home and outside
Will you help us reduce the health impact of solid fuel burners?
You breathe what you burn. The particulate matter (PM) that is produced by burning gets into the air, then into our bodies, causing long-term health problems.
This page is full of questions you can ask yourself before and while you are using your burner, along with plenty of information on the health risks we are facing.
Together we can reduce the amount of particulate matter that is released into the air of Northamptonshire, and therefore reduce the health risks too.
Burning wood and coal in stoves and open fires is a large contributor to emissions of particulate matter in the UK and is a contributing factor in elevated concentrations of PM in the air towards the end of autumn and in winter months.
Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental risks to our health. When the tiny particles of PM are breathed in, they can contribute to serious health problems including strokes, asthma, heart disease and lung cancer. That's scary, so that is why we are doing it.
Particulate matter (PM) is everything in the air that is not a gas, and consists of a huge variety of chemical compounds and materials, some of which can be toxic.
Particulates are classified according to size: PM10 particles measure less than 10 micrometres in diameter, while PM2.5 particles are smaller than 2.5 micrometres.
Where does Particulate Matter come from?
Around half of the concentrations of PM that people in the UK are exposed to come from either naturally occurring sources, such as pollen, soil particles and sea spray, or are transported to the UK from international shipping and other countries.
The remaining PM in UK air results from human activities such as wood burning, various industrial processes and emissions from vehicles, mainly from tyre and brake wear. Secondary PM can also form in the atmosphere through changes in pollutants and reactions between them.
How does Particulate Matter harm our health?
The larger PM10 particles tend to get deposited in our nose and throat, but the smaller PM2.5 particles can get drawn deeper into the lungs. PM2.5 is so small that you can fit 28 of them across the width of a human hair.
Because their small size makes it easy to breathe them in, these particles move from our lungs into the bloodstream and can become embedded in our organs, increasing the risk of serious illnesses. The brain (strokes), heart and other organs can all be affected.
Exposure to PM can particularly impact the health of vulnerable groups of people such as the young, elderly, and those with respiratory problems.
By taking some simple steps to burn well, burn better or simply burn less often, we can improve the air we breathe at home and outside.
How much of a problem is burning at home?
In 2023, 20% of total PM2.5 emissions and 10 per cent of total PM10 emissions came from burning wood, solid smokeless fuels, coal and fuels derived from waste such as coffee logs.
How you can make a difference
Even small changes can make a big difference, so no matter what steps you take, you will be helping to improve the air quality in your home, and in West Northamptonshire as a whole.
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) estimated that in the next 18 years, a 1 μg/m3 reduction (a fairly small amount) in fine particulate air pollution in England could prevent around:
Is using a solid fuel burner the main way you keep your home warm or provide hot water?
Some areas of West Northamptonshire do not have a mains gas supply and therefore, the use of a solid-fuel burner often provides an essential way to heat homes or provide hot water. If you have no other option, read the information under “How to reduce the impact of your wood or solid-fuel burner”.
Do you use a solid fuel burner as a secondary heat source to provide a cosy atmosphere?
If you do have an alternative way to heat your home and provide hot water, consider the following steps to improve the quality of air both inside and outside your home.
- Consider burning less often. If your house is already warm enough and you don’t need to burn, not burning is the simplest way of reducing your costs and minimising your impact
- Could you put on extra layers or use a heated blanket instead?
- Are you able to get active and move around more to generate warmth?
How to reduce the impact of your solid-fuel burner to burn well, burn better or simply burn less
We have outlined 18 different actions grouped into 4 different categories to help you burn well, burn better or simply burn less. You can use all 18 or any number of actions that apply to you.
Additional information
We spend up to 90% of our time indoors. Indoor and outdoor pollution are closely linked through the movement of air, shared pollutants, and the creation of outdoor pollution from indoor sources. Outdoor air enters buildings through ventilation, and outdoor pollutants can then become trapped and concentrated indoors.
Conversely, indoor activities like cooking and the burning of fuels release pollutants that can negatively impact outdoor air quality.
Indoor sources, such as cooking, gas stoves, candles and incense release pollutants including PM and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) when they burn.
Cosmetics and cleaning products can also release PM and VOCs. Asthma + Lung UK talk about the sources of indoor pollution and how to improve the air quality in your home.
The Met Office provides an air quality forecast for DEFRA based on five key pollutants - ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, PM2.5 and PM10 particles.
The Daily Air Quality Index (DAQI) tells you about levels of pollution and also provides recommended actions and health advice you may wish to take according to the level of air pollution. The Index is numbered from 1 (low pollution levels) to 10 (high pollution levels).
View the air pollution in your area online by simply entering your postcode.
What is Burnright?
Burnright was launched in March 2018 and is an independent, grass-roots campaign led by chimney sweeps to help burn safely in the right way, to save money and reduce pollution.
Getting it right is easy once you know how and it really is important. Bringing your fire up to the correct operating temperature quickly and keeping it there will give you the best result. Pollution will be minimised, you’ll save money and your chimney will be cleaner and safer.
Follow their eight step guidance for a cleaner burn.
You can also read their leaflet, We All Breathe the Same Air.
What is Burn Better, Breathe Better?
Burn Better, Breathe Better provides guidance from DEFRA on how to use wood-burning stoves and open fires more efficiently and with less pollution.
It’s based on three simple steps:
- Check your stove regularly
- Sweep your chimney professionally at least once a year
- Feed it the correct, legally compliant 'Ready to Burn' fuels
These practices help reduce harmful Particulate Matter emissions, improve health, and burn fuel more efficiently. For more information visit. Find out more about Burn Better, Breathe Better.
You can also watch a video on how to Burn Better.
What is the Ready to Burn logo?
The Ready to Burn logo is a guarantee that wood has 20% or less moisture content and your fuel meets the emission, smoke and sulphur limits. It’s better for your appliance, better for your chimney and will help reduce maintenance and fuel costs.
Ready to Burn is a certification scheme run by Woodsure who administers the scheme for wood fuels and HETAS.
The logo is a sign that the fuel is the cleanest for burning at home and that it complies with the latest Air Quality Regulations.
Find a list of suppliers accredited as Ready to Burn and enter your postcode.
Useful national links
- Smoke Control Areas - do you know the rules? A practical guide
- Home - DEFRA UK Air - GOV.UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Indoor air quality at home guidance
- DEFRA Air Quality Expert Group - Indoor Air Quality Report
- The UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) estimates annual pollutant emissions from 1970 to the current publication year
- Clean Air Strategy 2019
Now that you know the hidden dangers of particulate matter, one burning questions remains:
Will you help us fight it by burning better, burning cleaner or consider not burning at all?