...are rising.
http://www.3sc.net/airqual/mapping.html">Christchurch: deaths up to 16% higher in woodsmoke polluted areas
Average PM10 pollution in Christchurch, NZ, varies from <1 µg/m3 on the undeveloped fringes of the city to >20 µg/m3 in residential areas with lots of chimneys (see map). More than three quarters (76%) of pollution is from woodsmoke, with only 13% from industry, 11.7% from diesel vehicles and 0.3% from petrol vehicles<1>.
Up to 68% more respiratory deaths. New analyses published in 2007 show that (after adjusting for other factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, socio-economic status and tobacco smoking habits) death rates were related to smoke levels<2>. Estimates for each increase of 10µg/m3 of PM10 exposure were:
• 34% increase in respiratory deaths
• 11% increase in circulatory deaths
• 8% increase in all deaths
This implies that living in the most polluted areas (>20µg/m3 PM10) increases mortality by about 16% (respiratory deaths by about 68%) compared to living in unpolluted areas with <1 µg/m3. Chemical analysis shows that woodsmoke contains the same and similar compounds to tobacco smoke, so it is not surprising that we see the same health effects, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Other studies have linked woodsmoke to mouth, throat and lung cancers and PM10 pollution in general to cot deaths<3 4>. Woodsmoke contains significant quantities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). PAH from air pollution have been linked to genetic damage in babies<5>.
Reducing pollution saves lives
When cities reduce their pollution, death rates fall. In 1990, Dublin reduced PM pollution by banning non-smokeless coal. There were 15.5% fewer respiratory and 10.3% fewer cardiovascular deaths in the 6 years after the ban, compared to the previous 6 years (116 fewer respiratory and 243 fewer cardiovascular deaths/year)<6>...
...Health costs in Christchurch > NZ$2,700 per heater per year
The estimated annual health costs of woodsmoke in Christchurch exceed NZ$127 million, i.e. more than NZ$2,700 per heater per year (see references below). Christchurch has banned the installation of all new woodheaters (except ultra-low-emission models < 1.0 g/kg replacing more polluting heaters). All heaters rated > 1.0 g/kg must be removed after 15 years use (starting 2008)<1>...
The World Health Organization suggests that more than one and a half million people die each year from burning biomass.
However this claim can easily be negated by having a light weight blogger with no science education post a link from a wood burning company that says that wood burning is safe.