Wood burner advert ban as UK schools ‘hit by pollution’ | UK | News

An advert claiming a direct link between wood burners and pollution outside schools has been banned.

Wood burners and log burners have become increasingly popular in recent years, especially as electricity and gas costs have risen in line with the Ofgem price cap.

However, concerns have been expressed about PM2.5 pollution, the worst pollution they create.

This week, an advert by Brighton & Hove City Council was banned for misleadingly suggesting a direct link between the use of wood stoves and open fires and an increase in pollution.

The digital poster, seen in December, featured a graphic of a wood stove in the shape of an adult and child emitting smoke, and the text: “Harmful particle pollution near 4 primary schools in the city was 78% higher last winter than last summer. Wood stoves and open fires. Cozy killer.”

Small text at the bottom of the ad stated: “City sensor data comparing data from December 2024 to April 2025 and May 2025 to November 2025 at Middle Street, Elm Grove Primary School, Adlington Primary School and Saltdean Primary schools.”

The two complainants, including the owner of a chimney sweeping business, said the ad implied that the use of wood stoves and open fires was the cause of the alleged increase in particle pollution.

Brighton & Hove City Council said the ad was part of a campaign to raise awareness of the harmful impact of particulate matter (PM) pollution from burning wood at home, including open fires and wood burners.

They compared pollution levels in two parts of the year; One covered the winter months, when wood stoves and open fires were used more frequently, and the other covered the warmer months of April to October.

In all eight monitoring areas, PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less) pollution was 91% higher in the first period than in the second period.

The same results showed a 79% increase in four primary schools between the two terms.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ad implied there was direct causality between the use of wood stoves and open fires and the alleged increase in particle pollution, and that these heat sources were the sole cause of the increase.

He said: “Whilst we understand that burning wood at home is a significant contributor to urban PM2.5 emissions, we have seen no evidence to support the direct link claimed in the advert.”

The ASA concluded: “The advert implied that wood stoves and open fires were the cause of an alleged increase in particulate pollution around four primary schools in the city.

“However, we saw no evidence to substantiate the claim. Therefore, we concluded that the ad may be misleading.”

The ASA, which banned the advert, said: “We have asked Brighton & Hove City Council to ensure that robust evidence is retained to substantiate claims where a direct causal link is stated or implied between the use of wood stoves and open fires and a stated or implied increase in particle pollution.”

Councilor Tim Rowkins, Brighton & Hove City Council’s cabinet member for net zero emissions and environmental services, said: “We have clear and detailed local data showing the impact of burning solid fuels on air quality in our densely populated urban areas.

“The ASA decided that there was not a sufficiently clear link to the evidence in one of the campaign graphics we used. There were no rulings against the campaign as a whole or any other materials used.

“The health effects of PM2.5 exposure are well documented. We are working for cleaner air in Brighton & Hove and will always act to protect the health of people in our city.”

Environmental consulting firm Ricardo has called for greater regulation of the use of solid-fuel burners in homes, such as wood stoves and log fireplaces, which it says are linked to heart problems, lung disease, stroke, cancer and more.

It has also been revealed that thousands of cases of diabetes and asthma are linked to house fires each year, affecting people’s quality of life and putting pressure on NHS resources. The report, produced by the Global Action Plan and Hertfordshire County Council, examined the health impacts of domestic burning across the UK.

The report found that domestic combustion is one of the biggest sources of fine particulate matter air pollution, a type of indoor emission pollution linked to a range of health problems in the UK.

Domestic burning also contributes to an average of 3,741 new cases of diabetes and 1,493 new cases of asthma each year. Ricardo says these health problems not only have serious impacts on a person’s quality of life, but also put pressure on NHS resources.