New research encompassing six urban areas across Europe indicates that children’s contact with residential wood smoke might match the impact of traffic fumes, suggests new research across six European towns and cities.
Scientists measured the air in buildings where children spend much of their time, including schools, sports centres, and homes. They specifically tracked polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which are a family of pollutants given off when fuels burn.
European cities tested
Measurements took place in and around Athens, Barcelona, Colchester, Copenhagen, Helsinki, and Lisbon. Urban areas featuring wood-burning, such as Colchester and Athens, recorded the highest PAH levels. Meanwhile, Barcelona and Lisbon registered the lowest levels because wood-burning is not practised there.
In Colchester and Athens, PAH exposure exceeded World Health Organization guidelines. Sports centres had the lowest concentrations of these pollutants, followed by schools, though some facilities in Lisbon faced impacts from nearby busy roads.
Cancer-linked chemicals spike in winter
“Some of these compounds are related to cancers after prolonged exposures, as recognised by the International Agency for Cancer Research, and evidence exists that they delay cognitive development,” as stated to The Guardian by Dr Barend van Drooge, who works at the Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA) in Barcelona and served as the study’s senior author.
Winter PAH concentrations were greater than summer levels. In Colchester homes, high-molecular-weight PAH during winter exceeded summer figures by more than 10 times. Low-molecular-weight PAH measured around three times greater during the colder months.
“Wood-burning is known to be an important emitter of PAH, but it was surprising that it has become such an important contributor to the overall presence of PAHs in urban areas,” van Drooge told The Guardian. He added that none of the studied cities exceeded unacceptable limits for lifetime cancer risk.
Wood burners linked to higher pollution
Separate energy performance certificate analysis by University College London researchers showed that Colchester ranked 120th out of 333 local councils for wood burner density per square kilometre. Worthing, Norwich, and Reading each had roughly four times more burners.
A wintertime study of 53 children from two primary schools on Anglesey revealed that children in homes with wood burners could be exposed to over three times more particle pollution than peers in non-wood-burning homes. That study also determined that homes contained higher air pollution levels than schools.
In Greece, wood-burning surged during the financial crisis that began in 2008 as heating oil costs soared. That shift toward wood heating contributed to increased deaths linked to particle pollution in Athens, particularly among individuals aged over 70. In certain Greek towns, winter wood-burning generates PAH levels 100 times greater than summer measurements.
Childhood exposure concerns
“Understanding the pollutants in children’s everyday surroundings is an important step towards protecting their health,” said Maria Antonia Aretaki, of the IDAEA in Barcelona and first author of the study, telling The Guardian that children are particularly vulnerable to environmental pollutants.
Common questions about wood-burning air quality
How does wood-burning compare to traffic exhaust for children?
Recent European research suggests that exposure to home wood-burning pollutants affects children as much as exposure to traffic exhaust. Both sources release harmful compounds into the environments where children live and learn.
Which locations showed the highest pollutant levels?
Urban areas where wood-burning is common, such as Colchester and Athens, recorded the highest concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. PAH exposure in both locations surpassed World Health Organization guidelines.
Why did wood-burning increase in Greece?
Wood-burning increased in Greece after the 2008 financial crisis because heating oil prices rose sharply. Many residents turned to wood heating, which subsequently contributed to rising particle-pollution deaths in Athens, especially among people over 70.