Survey launched to learn more about solid fuel burning habits

Residents across West Northamptonshire who burn solid fuels in an open fire, burner or stove are being asked to get involved in government-funded research which aims to understand more about their impact on air quality and any potential links to health conditions.

Solid fuel can include things such as coffee logs, wood, briquettes, coal and there is little information available locally on the types of burners people use, the kind of fuel they burn, and how often they're used.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has been successful in receiving Government funding so it can work with residents to understand the impacts of solid fuel burners in the home. With the increased popularity of solid fuel burners alongside a potential link with exacerbating existing health issues such as asthma and other lung conditions, the Council wants to see if there are any links between what we burn and the impacts on our most vulnerable adults and children.

Whilst accepting that items such as wood burners are now part of a lifestyle choice for some, and can be an essential way of heating and cooking in the home for others, this funding will enable the Council to help people to make more informed decisions on how they heat their homes and cook. The work also forms part of a wider range of actions being progressed to reduce pollution across the area and raise public awareness in relation to the type of fuel and how and where burners are used.

Residents are being encouraged to complete an anonymous survey designed to provide insights into this. The Council is also looking for volunteers who use solid fuel burners to have an air quality monitor installed within their home to capture information on levels of Particulate Matter (PM) throughout the burning season. The Particulate Matter (PM) it is looking at is the small particles about the width of a human hair that are released when fuel is burnt.

People who complete the survey will have the option to enter a draw to win a bespoke Better Burning bundle by providing their contact details, which will be stored separately to ensure that responses remain anonymous. Items in the bundle could include a stove thermometer, stove fan or a supply of compliant fuel.

Cllr Matt Golby, WNC's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Public Health and Regulatory Services said: "We know that people use solid fuel burners for a range of reasons, including their location and access to sources of heat and for financial reasons. But we also know that locally there just isn't enough information on this and more research is needed to help us understand their potential impacts on health and air quality.

"This survey isn't about telling people what they should and shouldn't be doing to heat their homes, it's about finding out first-hand from residents about their current use of solid fuels and how this fits in with their wider lifestyles so we have a much greater insight on these issues locally which will in turn help residents to make more informed decisions around how they heat their homes.

"We would encourage anyone who burns solid fuels in an open fire, burner or stove, whether it's coffee logs, wood, briquettes or coal, to get involved and give their feedback which will really help make a difference as we look into these issues for our communities."

The survey closes on Friday, 31 January. For more information and to share your experience of owning and using a solid fuel burner, please visit the survey website.