Clean Air Night tackles pollution
Raising awareness of the myths around wood burning and harm to public health
A campaign to reduce pollution is marked by Clean Air Night, on Wednesday 22 January 2025.
The Clean Air campaign, led locally by the Environment Centre (tEC) and Global Action Plan, supported by Eastleigh Borough Council, aims to raise awareness of the myths around wood burning and harm to public health.
Lighting fires in our homes is the largest source of harmful small-particle air pollution in the UK. This type of air pollution can cause life-threatening illnesses, including heart and lung disease.
Wood burning not only harms your health, but also your wallet and the planet. Pressures on household finances or a desire to be more eco-friendly may tempt people to burn wood, but research actually shows that wood-burning produces more carbon dioxide than oil or gas and is almost always more expensive than other forms of heating.
The Clean Air Night campaign draws attention to the fact that woodsmoke air pollution is often unseen as it builds up in neighbourhoods after dark when people light their log burners in the early evening. Contrary to myth, the wood smoke doesn’t necessarily get blown away. On cold still nights it can settle around properties and seep into homes affecting indoor as well as outdoor air quality.
More information
the Environment Centre- wood burning - www.environmentcentre.com/wood-burning
Global Action Plan - Clean Air Night - www.cleanairhub.org.uk/Clean-Air-Night
Eastleighl air quality: www.eastleigh.gov.uk/environment/environmental-health/pollution/air-quality