Re: Sixty seconds on . . . woodburners

Agreement: 
I Agree
Body: 

Dear Editor,

It cannot be denied that there has been a significant increase in woodburners in UK, and there has also been a rapid increase in articles “exposing” their contribution to air pollution. The concern regarding asthma and children’s pulmonary health is understandable, but it might not be the case that woodburners are responsible for the pollution that is most closely linked to pulmonary damage.

Attention is focused on PM2.5 nanoparticles, which are produced when many substances are burned. It is important to note that not all PM2.5 particles are the same. It depends on what they consist of. Internal combustion engines produce large amounts of PM2.5, as does any gas appliance, and power stations running on non-renewables are another important source. Research comparing the chemical make-up of PM2.5 and their potential for human toxicity has shown that those from diesel and petrol (and gas) are much more harmful and contain carcinogenic / mutagenic chemicals, whereas those from properly burned dry wood do not have significant amounts.

Nitrogen oxides are particularly inflammatory to the respiratory tract, and very bad for asthmatics, and gas fires produce a lot of these, whereas wood does not. The suggestion by DEFRA that people might be “educated” in the proper use of woodturners is a good one, and there are good sources of information available for this.

No competing Interests: 
Yes
The following competing Interests: 
Electronic Publication Date: 
Friday, February 10, 2023 – 14:25
Highwire Comment Subject: 
Workflow State: 
Released
Full Title: 

Re: Sixty seconds on . . . woodburners

Highwire Comment Response to: 
Check this box if you would like your letter to appear anonymously:: 
Last Name: 
Bayston
First name and middle initial: 
Roger
Address: 
Woodthorpe, Nottingham
Occupation: 
Professor Emeritus, Surgical Infection
Affiliation: 
University of Nottingham, UK
BMJ: Additional Article Info: 
Rapid response

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