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ACT WOULD MEET NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS IF WOOD HEATERS WERE PHASED OUT

The ACT Government has been advised it would significantly reduce air pollution and meet national and almost reach World Health Organisation air quality standards if it followed through on its policy to phase out wood heaters in suburban Canberra. Instead, it has gone back on its word and the issue of residential woodsmoke pollution in Canberra remains mired in politics. The Urban Air Quality Assessment prepared by AECOM Pty Ltd states, “If wood heater emissions were eliminated it could reasonably be expected that the ACT would meet the NEPM 2025 goals and go close to meeting the World Health Organisation 2021 guidelines.” (Page 4, Para 3)

(Posted 28 February 2026)

FAMILY STRUGGLES TO BREATHE

A Canberra woman tells how her family struggles to breathe in a wood heater smoke filled neighbourhood. Listen to her story on ABC Radio Canberra.

(Posted 28 June 2025)

STUDY FINDS WOOD HEATER SMOKE CONTRIBUTING TO EARLY DEATHS

Centre for Safe Air Professor Geoff Morgan talks about research that finds more than 700 Australians die prematurely each year from exposure to wood heater smoke. Also see the story of 66-year-old Canberra invalid pensioner, David Bolton, who died in 2023 after a long battle with the bureaucracy over neighbourhood wood smoke pollution.

(Posted 14 August 2025)

COUNCILS CLAIM THREATS OF LEGAL ACTION BY THE WOOD HEATING INDUSTRY OVER CLEAN AIR CAMPAIGNS

Councils across England claim they are being threatened with legal action by the wood heating industry for running public health campaigns warning about the dangers of wood burning, a British Medical Journal (BMJ) investigation has found. Freedom of information requests sent to the 50 local authorities with the highest concentration of wood heaters revealed that nearly a third claim they had faced pressure from the Stove Industry Association (SIA). The councils claim industry tactics included letters threatening legal action, press releases promoting the supposed benefits of wood burning and leaflets claiming wood heaters could lower blood pressure and reduce stress.

(Posted 7 March 2026)

MISLEADING ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS BY WOOD HEATING INDUSTRY CHALLENGED

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the United Kingdom has ruled the wood heating industry misled consumers about the environmental impact of modern wood heaters. The ASA determined that so-called modern wood heaters emit more fine particle pollution and more toxic pollutants than older stoves and open fireplaces, contradicting industry claims. This decision mirrors a similar ruling in Denmark, where officials found that 23 companies had breached the country’s Marketing Practices Act by making false or misleading environmental claims about wood burning. The full ASA ruling can be viewed here. An English version of the Danish Ombudsman’s media release can be viewed here.

(Posted 11 November 2025)

ARE YOUR RIGHTS TO A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT BEING BREACHED?

Under current ACT Government legislation every Canberra resident has the right to a clean, safe and healthy environment. These rights are enshrined in the ACT Government’s Human Rights Act which came into effect in June 2024. Australia is also a signatory to a similar resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in July 2022. Residents can lodge a complaint with the ACT Human Rights Commissioner if they believe their rights to a clean safe and healthy environment are being breached.

(Posted 11 August 2025)

WOOD HEATING INDUSTRY TACTICS

An international group of doctors and scientists alleges the wood heating industry manufactures doubt about the environmental and health impact of wood heaters by using recognisable tactics to mislead the public and impede public health measures.

(Posted 7 November 2023)

IMPACT OF WOOD HEATER SMOKE SIMILAR TO THAT OF CIGARETTES

Using a wood heater at home could accelerate the decline of lung function, according to new research presented at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam. Researchers found that high levels of particulate matter from wood heaters damage respiratory tissues, causing inflammation in a similar way to cigarette smoke.

(Posted 8 October 2025) 

RESEARCHERS FIND WOOD HEATING REINTRODUCING LEAD INTO THE AIR

Research by University of Massachusetts academics has found wood heating is reintroducing lead into the air of local communities and homes more than 25 years after overwhelming evidence of lead’s neurotoxicity meant the metal was banned in Australia as an additive in petrol. Meanwhile Brighton in England is set to ban wood heaters with the introduction of a single, city-wide Smoke Control Area after mounting evidence that, like Canberra, solid fuel burning is the dominant source of winter air pollution in the city.

(Posted 18 May 2026)

HOW TO TALK ABOUT WOOD BURNING

Communicating clearly and effectively about the connection between wood burning and air pollution helps to raise political and community awareness and can lead to significant improvements in public health and air quality. A team of UK health professionals with Urban Health has established a communications tool kit to help you educate your community about the serious environment and health impacts from wood burning in urban areas.

(Posted 5 September 2023)

MEET US ON FACEBOOK

Clean Air Canberra is spreading the word. We are now on Facebook. Please join us and send us your comments, pics and stories.

(Posted 27 April 2023)

NEWS HEADLINES

Keep up to date with the latest national and international research, news, interviews and commentary on the environmental and health impacts of wood heater pollution.

(Posted 22 August 2025)