Sooner or later woodheaters need to be phased out.

And don’t believe those adds retailers have been running about how ‘stringent’ our heater standards are. Australian wood heaters are allowed to put out over 150% more pollution than the ones in NZ.

Enclosed wood heaters emit substantial quantities of methane, which, over the next 20 years, will cause 72 times as much global warming as the same amount of carbon dioxide. People who care about climate change will leave the wood in the forest until we have the infrastructure to burn it cleanly, e.g. pellet heaters, or local electricity generation to replace unsustainable coal-fired power. This is a far more climate-friendly option than using current wood heaters, which will cause 10 times as much global warming as any other form of heating (over the next 20 years from their methane, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions).

For a minority of people who collect their own firewood, wood heating might seem cheaper. But it can lead to health problems including increased risk of colds and flu, middle ear infections, heart attacks and respiratory diseases – see woodsmoke.3sc.net/woodsmoke-health-costs for details and references.

The Australian Lung Foundation (ALF) recommends: “use alternative methods (instead of wood heaters) for climate control, including insulating and improving the energy efficiency of homes, flued gas and electric heaters and energy efficient house design” http://www.lungfoundation.com.au/content/view/99/104/

The American Lung Association “strongly recommends using cleaner, less toxic sources of heat. Converting a wood-burning fireplace or stove to use either natural gas or propane will eliminate exposure to the dangerous toxins wood burning generates including dioxin, arsenic and formaldehyde” see http://www.lungusa.org/press-room/press-releases/cleaner-alternatives-for-winter-heat.html

People who currently use wood heating should seriously consider their own health, that of their neighbours and not use wood heating if they have affordable non-polluting alternatives. On top of the health benefits, switching to non-polluting heating could help avoid the tipping points that might lead to catastrophic climate change.

If people are in genuine financial stress then I am sure then there is a strong case for Govt assistance to meet their ACTEW bills – has anyone taken this issue to the ACT Govt?

Nor do people who have wood heaters notice the pollution because whichever way the wind blows it blows away from them. If there’s a wind, the low pressure zone on the sheltered side of their houses drags the smoke down into their neighbours’ yards and windows. If there’s no wind and no temperature inversion, it rises until it cools and falls, settling into valleys and the lungs of others where it causes and aggravates lung diseases before entering the blood and doing more harm.

Every polluter has an average of three immediate neighbours and they are surrounded by another ring of near neighbours who also suffer much. On these numbers alone smoke polluters are are small minority. Throw in the rest of the community and it’s a no brainer. This unhealthy practice in built up areas must stop!

Congratulations on your excellent submission to the ACT Environment Department Review of Wood Smoke Pollution Education Programs.

I agree that education programs should highlight the health problems associated with wood smoke from wood heaters and vegetation burn-offs. They should encourage residents to change to cleaner energy for home heating and to cleaner ways to get rid of green waste. Yes, people should take measures to reduce the smoke emissions from their wood heaters, but a better option is to switch to a cleaner heating source.

Wood heaters produce smoke. They are much more efficient & economic than an open fire but they all produce smoke. Pellet fires are the most efficient of the wood heaters, but they also produce smoke.

Wood smoke is bad for our lungs and there is clear evidence for this. It causes flare-ups of asthma & bronchitis in those with these common conditions. It can cause premature death in those with very severe lung disease. There are also effects from long term exposure (over 10 years) shown in large population studies, including premature death from heart disease and lung cancer. The health information is extensive and can be accessed from the Australian Lung Foundation web site and the links to the equivalent lung foundations in the UK, USA & Canada.

Wood smoke is one of the major contributors to particle pollution, especially in large urban areas which have cold winters and in valleys where there are temperature inversion layers which trap the pollutants close to the ground. Hot spots in Australia include your own Tuggeranong Valley as well as Armidale in NSW & Launceston in Tasmania. In Launceston, there has been a major improvement of air quality in recent years because of a change of community habits, with a switch from wood heating to electric heating.

There is also a high cost to the community of wood smoke pollution. This is often not included in the cost of wood fuel, including by people who access their own wood supply without payment for the wood. Households on low incomes should expect some government assistance to switch to cleaner heating appliances, which will benefit all residents.

Dr James Markos
Respiratory physician, Launceston Tasmania