Experts warn of harmful effects of burning wood for energy

Even though burning wood is a climate-friendly form of energy in that it involves a renewable, locally-attainable resource, it also poses risks to health, experts said at a press conference here Wednesday.

In alpine countries such as Austria and Switzerland, wood fires are a traditional source of energy, though the experts said studies show the resulting smoke from such fires causes fine dust pollution, with fires in homes of particular concern.

Air pollution expert Nino Kuenzli from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) in Basel said wood is often "canonized" as a form of energy.

It is, however, becoming increasingly clear through more recent studies that wood smoke leads to substances in the air that are harmful and can lead to cardiovascular, cancer, and lung diseases.

The climate protection aspect should not nullify considerations for health, Kuenzli added, and said there is no evidence that pollutants from wood combustion are less harmful than those from vehicle emissions.

The experts said small fireplaces and ovens in homes are particular problematic due to people often no bothering to fit proper filters. Often wood also does not burn under ideal conditions, they said, and recommended pellet heating systems instead.

Stricter limits are also needed to increase the proportion of clean equipment used along with higher standards for the awarding of eco-labels, they said. Endit