Home wood burning pollution expected to rise due to UK cost of living crisis

Reductions in wood burning pollution from the use of stoves instead of open fires are likely to be slow and limited. Photograph: SolStock/Getty Images/iStockphoto

This December will be the 70th anniversary of the 1952 London smog, when five days of choking smoke killed about 12,000 Londoners. It was partially caused by a fuel crisis, specifically a shortage of coal, requiring people to burn poor quality mining waste.

Air pollution from home fires is expected to increase this winter as people turn to solid fuel to heat their homes in response to the energy and cost of living crisis.