In 2021, a study by the Danish Institute of Technology showed that the concentration of particulate matter in residential areas, where so-called fireplaces are common, rises on average by 20% when these heaters are lit. Air pollution will then be similar to that of a busy street in a big city.
In the study, sensors measured particles less than 2.5 micrometers in size, which is about 2.5 millionths of a meter. According to WHO data, inhalation of such particles can cause heart and lung diseases as well as cancer.
45% of air pollution due to health-damaging microparticles in Europe comes from wood in combustion furnaces.
The fire can also adversely affect indoor air quality. The age of the furnace, filters, and the way it is fired affect how much particulate matter is released into the indoor air. The most important thing is to never leave the oven open while a fire is burning in it.
New trees take a long time to capture CO 2 ‘ again
And regarding the global climate, it is also not possible to exonerate the stoves.
When wood is burned, the carbon dioxide that the tree has accumulated during its lifetime is released. At first glance, one might conclude that the burning is carbon neutral, as only carbon is released that is tied up by trees.
But even if we agree to this, it is not enough because machines in logging and transport emit additional carbon.
And of course we also need to take into account that the burning happens here and now, but a new tree must bind the carbon we emit for decades.
