Clean Air Night: Sparking the conversation about wood burning

Clean Air Night takes place on 22 January 2025 and this year is designed to spark a conversation helping people to make informed decisions about how to heat their homes. 

Heating your home by burning solid fuels, such as wood or coal, in stoves and open fireplaces is referred to as domestic burning. 

Using indoor, domestic, wood and coal burning appliances is a major contributor to particulate matter emissions in the UK and therefore the quality of the air that we breathe. (Particulate matter is made up of small particles that are breathed in and can travel to our lungs and heart.)

Poor air quality is proven to have the biggest impact on children, the elderly and those with pre-existing heart and lung conditions, and long term exposure can increase respiratory issues and impact lung and cardiovascular function. 

To help look after the health of yourself and your loved ones, there are three steps you can take to limit the impacts of domestic burning. These are: 

Maintain your appliance 

Whether you have a log burner, or an open fire or stove, make sure you keep your appliances serviced so they are working as efficiently and safely as they should. 

You should have a carbon monoxide monitor and have your chimney swept at least once a year. 

Burn less 

Where the appliance may be your secondary source of heat, consider if you can burn less fuel when you use it as this will reduce the particulate matter released into the air. 

Choose appropriate fuels 

Only use dry, seasoned wood for your appliance and avoid burning household waste. 

An easy way to tell if the wood you are buying is suitable for burning, is to look for the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo. 

Clean Air Night is organised by the Global Action Plan charity.

If you have your own wood store, why not listen to the video below where Wirral residents, Nathan and Joanne talk about the benefits of their log burner but also how they look after their log burner so it keeps them warm and safe. 

If you live in a smoke control area, check you are burning the right fuel, on the right appliance. For more information on domestic burning in Wirral generally, visit the council’s website.

You can also find out more about the national project on the Action for Clean Air website.