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24 November, 2009

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Wood fires and breathing problems

Smoke from wood fires contains gases and particles that can affect indoor and outdoor air quality and potentially may affect people’s health. Wood smoke is generated from wood heaters, incinerators, open air burning and bushfires. It

People who are most affected by wood smoke include those with heart or breathing conditions (including asthma) or complications from diabetes, frail older people and infants and very young children. There are a number of actions you can take to prevent or reduce the potential health effects of wood smoke.

Wood smoke is a form of air pollution
Wood smoke is a complex mixture of gases and particles. These gases and particles are air pollutants. The main air pollutants in wood smoke include carbon monoxide and fine particles. Other pollutants include nitrogen oxides, benzene, butadiene, formaldehyde and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Wood heater use
The amount of air pollutants in wood smoke produced by a wood heater depends on:

The quality of the wood fuel
The type of heating appliance used
How the heating appliance is used.

Typically, higher levels of air pollutants are generated during fire start up and where a fire is poorly managed: for example, when airflow to the heater is reduced, allowing wood to smoulder. In some cases, higher levels of air pollutant emissions can occur for the duration of heater use, especially where a heating appliance is performing poorly or where wood with high moisture content is used.

Wood smoke exposure
Exposure to wood smoke can occur either:

Inside the home – from your own wood heater or where the outdoor air contains smoke that penetrates inside the home.
Outside the home – where smoke from a wood heater or other source is released outside the home, affecting neighbours and the outdoor air in general.

Improperly installed heaters or clogged chimneys can increase the amount of air pollutants produced (inside the home) and increase the likelihood of health effects. Heaters that are installed properly, conform to Australian Standards (AS/NZS 4013), are operated correctly and are adequately maintained produce less air pollutants and lower the likelihood of nuisance or health effects occurring.

Health effects of wood smoke air pollutants
Most healthy people recover quickly from exposure to wood smoke and do not suffer long-term effects. Health effects can occur as a result of indoor or outdoor exposure to wood smoke pollutants. It is not known how low the level of fine particle pollution must be in order for it not to affect health. In addition to health impacts, wood smoke can also cause smoke haze and odour nuisance.

The degree of health effects someone may experience depends on how much smoke the person is exposed to and for how long. Symptoms of smoke irritation include itchy eyes, runny nose, sore throat and cough.

People most susceptible to wood smoke include:

People suffering from existing cardiac or respiratory conditions, such as asthma
People with vascular complications from diabetes
Infants and very young children
Frail older people.

Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide (CO) cannot be detected by humans because it is an odourless, tasteless and colourless gas. CO levels will rise in a home where a wood-fired heater is used. A poorly installed, improperly vented or leaking wood heater can cause levels of CO inside the home that may lead to CO poisoning.

For healthy people, the most likely impact of a small increase in the level of carbon monoxide is that they will have trouble concentrating. At low to moderate levels of CO exposure, a person may experience flu-like symptoms, headaches, fatigue or chest pain. High exposure to CO can result in permanent damage to the heart and brain, which may result in death.

Fine particles
Fine particle pollution can affect the human respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Fine particles can cause a variety of temporary or short-term health problems, including itchy or burning eyes, throat irritation, runny nose and illnesses like bronchitis. Particles can aggravate existing heart and lung conditions such as angina, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma.

Other airborne pollutants
Other airborne pollutants from wood smoke that are associated with a wide range of health effects include benzene, butadiene, formaldehyde and PAHs. These effects range from eye irritation and headaches to more serious damage of the respiratory, nervous, reproductive, developmental and immune systems. Studies show that some of these pollutants are known to cause or are suspected of causing cancer.

Health precautions – wood heaters
If you have a wood heater:

Make sure you operate it properly to minimise smoke generation. Maintenance is also important: for example, cleaning of the chimney.
Ensure fresh air enters the room to prevent CO build-up. This includes keeping the inside doors to the rest of the house open. If there are no vents in the wall in the room where the heater is, open a window slightly – at least a few centimetres.
Be alert to symptoms such as drowsiness, as this can indicate high CO levels.
Never burn rubbish such as plastics or foam, wood that is painted or treated with copper chrome arsenate (CCA) or creosote-treated timber (for example, railway sleepers). Toxic fumes are generated in addition to the wood smoke air pollutants.
Consider installing a less polluting form of heating, such as flued gas or electric, or replace your wood heater with a model that complies with Australian Standards.

Health precautions – wood smoke outside your home
To protect your health during times when wood smoke outside your home or in your local area is a problem, the following precautions can help to minimise possible health effects:

Avoid outdoor physical activities when wood smoke is present.
Stay indoors with windows and doors sealed – this provides some protection.
If you suffer from heart or lung disease and you notice symptoms, make sure you take your regular medications, rest and seek medical advice if symptoms do not settle.

Where to get help

Environment Protection Authority Victoria Tel. (03) 9695 2722 – for information on wood heaters and air quality, what to do about neighbours with smoky wood heaters, correct operation and maintenance of wood heaters
Your local council – for advice and information on wood smoke pollution and for reporting complaints
Environmental Health Unit, Department of Human Services Tel. 1300 761 874 – for information on the health effects of air pollutants
Your doctor
Plumbing Industry Commission Tel. (03) 9889 2211 or 1800 015 129 – for advice about the correct installation of a wood heater
Asthma Foundation of Victoria Tel. 1800 645 130
Victorian Bushfire Information Line Tel. 1800 240 667 (TTY for the deaf 1800 122 969) – for the latest information on total fire bans, fire restrictions and major fires

Things to remember

Wood smoke contains gases and particles that may affect your health.
If you have a wood heater, make sure you operate and maintain it properly and that the room is ventilated.
To protect your health, avoid outdoor physical activities when smoke is present.
If you suffer from heart or lung disease and you notice symptoms of smoke exposure, take your regular medications, rest and seek medical advice if symptoms do not settle.

You might also be interested in:
Breathing problems and exercise.
Bushfire smoke.
Pollution - air.
Respiratory system.
Smog.

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