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Home wood burning pollution expected to rise due to UK cost of living crisis
(The Guardian, 4 Nov 2022) Seventy years after 1952 London smog, energy crisis could increase winter stove and open fire use.
This December will be the 70th anniversary of the 1952 London smog, when five days of choking smoke killed about 12,000 Londoners. It was partially caused by a fuel crisis, specifically a shortage of coal, requiring people to burn poor quality mining waste.
Air pollution from home fires is expected to increase this winter as people turn to solid fuel to heat their homes in response to the energy and cost of living crisis.
Scientists at university research stations will be tracking air these changes in three UK cities. These complement measurements from a government network. My team’s analysis of this data, spanning more than a decade, tells us about when, and to some extent why, people are burning wood.
Although outdoor wood burning, such as bonfires and patio heaters, may add to pollution in the summer, during Guy Fawkes Night and at New Year’s Eve; the majority of wood burning pollution comes from homes during winter evenings.
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