Children’s exposure to pollution from home wood-burning may be as significant as exposure to traffic exhaust, according to a new study across six European towns and cities that measured polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in buildings where children spend their time.
Scientists measured PAH concentrations in schools, sports centres and homes in and around Athens, Barcelona, Colchester, Copenhagen, Helsinki and Lisbon. PAH are a family of pollutants released when fuels are burned; some are linked to cancer after prolonged exposure, and evidence exists that they delay cognitive development, the researchers noted.
Dr Barend van Drooge, senior author of the study, said: “Some of these compounds are related to cancers after prolonged exposures, as recognised by the International Agency for Cancer Research, and evidence exists that they delay cognitive development.”
Van Drooge said urban areas with wood-burning, such as Colchester and Athens, had the highest PAH levels, while Barcelona and Lisbon, where wood-burning is not practised, had the lowest. In Colchester and Athens, PAH exposure exceeded World Health Organization guidelines. Winter concentrations were higher than summer ones; in Colchester homes, high-molecular-weight PAH in winter were more than ten times summer levels, and low-molecular-weight PAH around three times greater.
Sports centres had the lowest concentrations, followed by schools, though some schools, especially in Lisbon, were affected by nearby busy roads. Ventilation and indoor sources mattered, but homes with some of the greatest PAH levels were in wood-burning areas, and many had open fireplaces and stoves.
Maria Antonia Aretaki, first author of the study, said: “Understanding the pollutants in children’s everyday surroundings is an important step towards protecting their health. Children are particularly important given their vulnerability to environmental pollutants and the potential health implications from exposure during childhood.”
Van Drooge noted: “Wood-burning is known to be an important emitter of PAH, but it was surprising that it has become such an important contributor to the overall presence of PAHs in urban areas. However, none of the cities exceeded unacceptable limits for lifetime cancer risk.”
The impacts of wood-burning are unlikely to be unique to Colchester. Separate analysis of energy performance certificates by University College London ranked Colchester 120th out of 333 local councils for density of wood burners per square kilometre; Worthing, Norwich and Reading all had around four times more. A wintertime study of 53 children from two primary schools in Anglesey found that children in homes with wood burners could be exposed to over three times more particle pollution than those in non-wood-burning homes, and homes had more air pollution than schools.
In Greece, wood-burning increased during the financial crisis that began in 2008 as heating oil costs soared. The increased wood-burning contributed to increased deaths associated with particle pollution in Athens, especially for those aged over 70. In some Greek towns, wood-burning leads to PAH levels 100 times greater in winter than in summer.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Children's daily exposure to carcinogenic and neurotoxic pollutants could be significantly underestimated if regulators focus only on outdoor air.
- Policy decisions on wood-burning stoves (already debated in the UK and Europe) have direct health implications for vulnerable populations.
- The study highlights that even in cities that meet average lifetime cancer risk limits, peak winter exposures can far exceed WHO guidelines.
Background
Wood-burning for home heating has increased across Europe, partly driven by rising energy costs and a shift toward renewable biomass. In the UK, it contributes to urban air pollution, with several towns and cities having high densities of wood burners. PAH compounds are a well-established family of air toxics, and children are more vulnerable because their bodies are still developing and they breathe more air per body weight.
Key Perspectives
Dr Barend van Drooge (IEAWR, senior author): said it was surprising that wood-burning has become such an important contributor to PAHs in urban areas, but none of the cities exceeded unacceptable limits for lifetime cancer risk.
Maria Antonia Aretaki (IEAWR, first author): said understanding pollutants in children's everyday surroundings is an important step toward protecting their health, given children's vulnerability and the potential health implications from childhood exposure.
What to Watch
- Whether regulators in the UK and EU update indoor air quality guidelines in response to these findings.
- Upcoming winter air pollution monitoring in Colchester, Athens and other wood-burning towns to see if this season's concentrations match the study's data.
- Potential public health campaigns or local bans on open fireplaces and older wood stoves in affected urban areas.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedVan Drooge said that some PAHs are related to cancers after prolonged exposure and that evidence exists they delay cognitive development.World news | The Guardian: ““Some of these compounds are related to cancers after prolonged exposures, as recognised by the International Agency for Cancer Research, and evidence exists that they delay cognitive development.””
- SupportedAretaki said that understanding pollutants in children’s surroundings is important for protecting their health and that children are vulnerable to environmental pollutants.World news | The Guardian: ““Understanding the pollutants in children’s everyday surroundings is an important step towards protecting their health. Children are particularly important given their vulnerability to environmental pollutants and the potential health implications from exposure during childhood.””
- SupportedVan Drooge said wood-burning had become an important contributor to PAHs in urban areas, but no city exceeded unacceptable lifetime cancer-risk limits.World news | The Guardian: ““Wood-burning is known to be an important emitter of PAH, but it was surprising that it has become such an important contributor to the overall presence of PAHs in urban areas. However, none of the cities exceeded unacceptable limits for lifetime cancer risk.””
- SupportedChildren’s exposure to home wood-burning could be as significant as exposure to traffic exhaust.World news | The Guardian: “Children’s exposure to home wood-burning could be as significant as exposure to traffic exhaust, suggests new research across six European towns and cities.”
- SupportedSports centres had the lowest PAH concentrations.World news | The Guardian: “Sports centres had the lowest concentrations.”
- SupportedColchester and Athens had the highest PAH levels, while Barcelona and Lisbon had the lowest.World news | The Guardian: ““Urban areas with wood-burning, such as Colchester and Athens, had the highest PAHs levels. Barcelona and Lisbon, where wood-burning is not practised, had the lowest levels.””
- SupportedThe study measured PAH in schools, sports centres and homes in and around six named European cities.World news | The Guardian: “Measurements were made in and around Athens, Barcelona, Colchester, Copenhagen, Helsinki and Lisbon.”
- Partly supportedThe story attributes the cancer and cognitive-development findings to “the researchers” generally.World news | The Guardian: “Dr Barend van Drooge, from Barcelona’s Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IEAWR) and senior author of the study, said: “Some of these compounds are related to cancers after prolonged exposures, as recognised by the International Agency for Cancer Research, and evidence exists that they delay cognitive development.””
- SupportedIn Colchester and Athens, PAH exposure exceeded World Health Organization guidelines.World news | The Guardian: “In Colchester and Athens, PAH exposure was greater than the World Health Organization guidelines .”
- SupportedIn Colchester homes, winter high-molecular-weight PAH was more than ten times summer levels, and low-molecular-weight PAH was around three times greater.World news | The Guardian: “In the Colchester homes, the high-molecular-weight PAH in winter were more than 10 times those in summer. The low-molecular-weight PAH were around three times greater.”
- SupportedColchester ranked 120th of 333 local councils for wood-burner density, while Worthing, Norwich and Reading had around four times more.World news | The Guardian: “Separate analysis of energy performance certificates by researchers at University College London showed that Colchester ranked 120th out of 333 local councils for density of wood burners per square kilometre . Worthing, Norwich and Reading all had around four times more.”
- SupportedA study of 53 children in Anglesey found those in homes with wood burners could be exposed to over three times more particle pollution than those in homes without wood burners.World news | The Guardian: “A wintertime study of 53 children from two primary schools in Anglesey (Ynys Môn) found that children living in homes with wood burners could be exposed to over three times more particle pollution than those in non-wood-burning homes.”
