The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has issued a warning to households with log burners, linking the appliances to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The charity highlights that the fine particles released by log burners can enter the bloodstream and cause harm to health.
PM2.5 particles and health risks
According to the BHF, one in 10 homes in the UK now has an open fire or wood burning stove, a total of 2.7 million houses. The charity warns that 'every minute' spent warming by the fire could be potentially devastating to health, as tiny toxic air pollution particles known as PM2.5 are released into the air.
The BHF states: “This is one of the most harmful forms of air pollution. In fact, our research has shown that PM2.5 can enter our bloodstream and increase our risk of a heart attack or stroke.”
Research findings on nanoparticle exposure
BHF-funded researchers at the University of Edinburgh asked healthy volunteers to breathe in harmless gold nanoparticles the same size as the PM2.5 particles. They found that gold moved from the lungs into the blood and urine 24 hours after exposure, with some gold detectable in the blood up to three months later. The researchers also found nanoparticles in the fatty plaques of diseased arteries.
The BHF advises that poor indoor air quality can be as harmful as polluted outdoor air, and suggests simple measures to reduce health impacts. These include cooking and heating with electric or gas instead of burning wood or coal, opening windows several times a day, cleaning floors regularly, using extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, fixing leaks, and keeping homes above 19C in colder months to prevent condensation and mould.
