A council clean air campaign has led to ‘a climate of fear and intimidation’ for owners of wood-burning stoves, it has been claimed.
Residents say they have been named and shamed and verbally abused in the street for using their wood burning stoves this winter.
Some say they have been branded ‘polluters’ and have been ‘stigmatised’ for using them.
Chimney sweeps in Brighton and Hove say they have been asked to park away some distance from the homes of their customers for fear of alerting neighbours to the presence of a wood-burning stove.
It comes after Brighton and Hove city council launched a campaign against wood-burning stoves and open fires last month.
Bus stop adverts for the Cosy Killer campaign claim wood burning produced a particularly dangerous form of air pollution.
The pollutants – PM2.5s – are said to be worse than all of the UK’s road traffic put together.
However, wood burners are still legal everywhere in this country and some 1.5million homes across the UK are estimated to now have them installed.
Even in those parts of our towns and cities covered by Smoke Control Areas, which includes much of Brighton, as well as almost all of London and most of Birmingham and Manchester, wood may be burned in stoves that meet regulations brought in three years ago.
Andy Genovese, pictured, who runs Hanover Wood Burners, said: ‘The science being trotted out, especially regarding PM2.5s is very, very questionable. The council seem to be relying on just one study
Rob Whittington, a chimney sweep, said there are various websites offering advice in the correct use of wood burners and described the Cosy Killer campaign as ‘fear-mongering.’
Mr Genovese, pictured, who fits up to 80 wood burners a year, said the new Defra-approved eco wood burners were good adding they were far more efficient than older models and as long as wood was properly dried should burn with less pollutant emissions
Chimney sweeps in Brighton and Hove say they have been asked to park away some distance from the homes of their customers for fear of alerting neighbours to the presence of a wood-burning stove
Councillor Tim Rowkins, cabinet member for Net Zero and Environmental Services, said: ‘Our campaign is not designed to demonise anyone; I strongly believe most people who burn at home simply aren’t aware of the harm they’re doing, and this campaign is aimed squarely at raising awareness.
‘It is important our residents are fully aware of the health risks associated with wood burning in the home and our campaign is underpinned by robust academic research and public health data from multiple sources.
‘We have also installed a network of real-time air quality monitors throughout the city, providing us with vital additional data and insight.
‘For example, on cold evenings when log burners are most commonly in use, we see significant spikes in residential areas – including near schools and pre-schools – at levels way beyond those deemed safe by the World Health Organisation.
‘We know for some people a wood burner is essential for them to be able to heat their homes – and we are certainly not attempting to unfairly target anyone experiencing fuel poverty with this campaign – but for the majority, it is more of a luxury.
‘It is only right that as a council we raise local awareness of what is an important public health issue.’
The Smoke Free Zones close to the centre require users to use a Defra-approved eco burner and use dry wood and other authorised solid fuels but not coal.
But residents, stove installers and chimney sweeps have raised questions about the science and say the campaign has led to a ‘climate of fear’ in the city.
Brighton resident Molly Dean said: ‘I’m worried about using my wood burner and we rely on it for heating. There are a lot of people virtue signalling and telling us not to do this and that all while driving their big fancy cars.’
Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘The council’s pre-occupation with stigmatising people in this city is ridiculous. Not content with declaring war on car drivers they have now set their sights on wood burners – the majority of which are Defra-approved.
‘This is despite the fact the council is still spraying harmful pesticides to kill weeds and has introduced cycle lanes which have led to increased traffic congestion and pollution. It is so hypocritical.’
A council clean air campaign has led to ‘a climate of fear and intimidation’ for owners of wood-burning stoves (pictured)
The pollutants – PM2.5s – are said to be worse than all of the UK’s road traffic put together
Councillor Tim Rowkins, cabinet member for Net Zero and Environmental Services, said: ‘Our campaign is not designed to demonise anyone; I strongly believe most people who burn at home simply aren’t aware of the harm they’re doing
Wood-burning stoves also promote a range of social and familial benefits because they represent a communal meeting place within a home (file photo)
While resident, Ellie, said: ‘I think what the council has done is dangerous. The campaign is giving ammunition to environmental bullies who are trolling people online and calling people out in the street.
‘I’ve been verbally abused and shamed and it’s being aided and abetted by my council. It’s disgusting.’
Rob Whittington, a chimney sweep, said: ‘Wood burners have been unfairly stigmatised by this campaign. They do cause emissions but there is no form of heating which has no impact on the environment.
‘The stigma created by campaigns like Cosy Killer can discourage responsible practices and foster a culture of secrecy rather than openness and improvement,’ said Mr Whittington, who trades as The Purple Sweep.
He said the council’s campaign leans heavily on data from a flawed study conducted by Birmingham University in 2021 and 2022 which monitored air quality at just two sites in Birmingham.
He said: ‘The study failed to adequately differentiate between emissions from older, inefficient stoves or open fireplaces and those from modern, eco-certified stoves. By ignoring this distinction, the campaign paints all wood-burning devices with the same brush, perpetuating a narrative that may be misleading.’
He said there are various websites offering advice in the correct use of wood burners and described the Cosy Killer campaign as ‘fear-mongering.’
Reading and Oxford’s local authorities have banned the use of fuel or appliances not approved by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Penalties of up to £300 could be issued to anyone breaking the rules after the new policy replacing existing so-called ‘smoke control areas’ was brought in on December 1.
Exceptions are given for Defra-approved appliances and government-approved fuels – while outdoor barbecues, chimeneas, garden fireplaces or pizza ovens are also permitted as long as smoke is not released from them through a building chimney.
The rules have been brought in amid growing concern over the stoves increasing the risk of lung cancer and being one of the UK’s main drivers of harmful air pollutants.
Mr Genovese added: ‘The Cosy Killer campaign has led to an air of hostility towards people using their wood burners and that is wrong.’
The Smoke Free Zones close to the centre require users to use a Defra-approved eco burner and use dry wood and other authorised solid fuels but not coal. Pictured: Wood burning guides
Mr Genovese, who fits up to 80 wood burners a year, said the new Defra-approved eco wood burners were good
He said they were far more efficient than older models and as long as wood was properly dried should burn with less pollutant emissions
Andy Genovese, who runs Hanover Wood Burners, said: ‘The science being trotted out, especially regarding PM2.5s is very, very questionable. The council seem to be relying on just one study.
‘The Cosy Killer campaign has led to an air of hostility towards people using their wood burners and that is wrong.
‘Wood is predominantly locally grown, harvested by small business and is entirely carbon neutral. The carbon released by burning is absorbed by trees and plants, harvested as firewood in a 50-year renewable cycle.’
He said: ‘I think the council’s campaign is guilty of deceptive intent because they focus on partial facts.
‘The council isn’t, for example, telling us about vehicle tyres which cause a significant amount of PM2.5s, sometimes even greater than exhausts.’
Mr Genovese, who fits up to 80 wood burners a year, said the new Defra-approved eco wood burners were good.
He said they were far more efficient than older models and as long as wood was properly dried should burn with less pollutant emissions.
‘Let’s not forget,’ he said. ‘No form of heating is carbon neutral but wood is considered one of the closest as it is renewable.’
But he said the stove was ‘only as good as the fuel you put on it’, with the wood needing to be below 20 percent moisture content.
But one resident said: ‘It’s more a case of a load of middle class people who like to think they are right-on and on the right side of history pretending there isn’t a massive polluting and poisonous and quite literal smoking elephant in the middle of the room.’
Another said: ‘What we want is less pollutants in our air and wood burning stoves clearly contribute. However how the council has approached their campaign seems wrong and has led to a climate of fear.’
Particulate pollution is widely agreed to be the air pollutant with the biggest impact on human health, increasing the risk of respiratory and heart conditions, and increasing hospital admissions.
Children growing up exposed to particulate pollution are more likely to have reduced lung function and can develop asthma as the tiny particles penetrate the lungs and enter into the bloodstream.
