Air Pollution in the UK
In a recent report from the Royal College of Physicians, and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), it states almost 100,000 deaths occurred by air pollution across Europe in one year.
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In the UK another report, from the Every breath we take: the lifelong impact of air pollution report, found that at least 40,000 people die each year because of poor air quality.
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Does The UK Has a Serious Health Issue?
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Very possibly – If we were to consider these two reports as one, this means 40% of deaths in Europe from air pollution occurs in the UK. This is alarming when you consider the population of the UK only accounts for less than 9% of Europe’s total population.
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The Royal College of Physicians have come up with “6 Steps to breathing better air”:
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Be aware of the air quality where you live
Replace old gas appliances in your home
Ensure you have an energy efficient home
Alter how you travel – use the bus and train, or walk and cycle
Talk to your MP
Harness technology to stay informed and monitor air pollution effectively
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These 6 steps are something we can fully endorse and support. We are aware of how dreadfully inefficient some old appliances, especially gas fires (and open fires) can be. The report from the Royal College of Physicians emphases open fires are in fact one of the things, which contribute to poor air quality in homes, work-spaces and schools.
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Open fires have an efficiency of only around 25%. This means 25% of the heat created from the fire is used to heat the room. The other 75% disappears up the chimney into the atmosphere. A highly efficient gas fire would have an efficiency of around 90% or more, and a wood burning stove, around 82%.
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The History of UK Air Quality.
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In the 1950s and 1960s the UK suffered smog, which was a deadly mixture of both smoke (from the widespread burning of coal) and fog plus other pollution combined. The Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968 were introduced to deal with the smogs, which were responsible for many premature deaths in the UK. Over time smoke control areas were introduced to reduce pollution. There are a number of these control areas across the UK now. In these smoke control areas, you are only allowed to burn specific fuels, which you should check to avoid a fine. A full list of fuels you can burn in smoke control areas can be found here
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In Conclusion:
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Clearly there are still a number of things we can and must do in the UK, to reduce the number of deaths from air pollution. Replacing old gas appliances and open fires are a great start. But apart from these there are lots of other things are can all do. Ensuring your home is energy efficient is a great idea, as is thinking more about how you travel. Do you really need to use the car for that journey? Swapping the engine for the foot will not only help keep our environment cleaner, but will also save you money and keep you fitter and healthier.
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For our range of highly efficient gas fires and wood burning stoves, please search for a showroom in your area, and request a brochure here.
