New wood-burning stoves are set to carry health warning labels under Labour’s plans to curb household air pollution, as ministers prepare to outline measures aimed at cutting emissions from domestic solid-fuel burning. The scheme is expected to be announced this week after a two-month consultation on ways to reduce pollution from homes using fuels such as logs and coal. The move comes amid growing concern over emissions linked to the rising popularity of wood-burning stoves.
Figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs show that around a quarter of households have, at some stage, burned solid fuels including coal and firewood. The department’s research also points to a shift in how such fuels are used, with indoor log burners becoming more common in recent years.
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In 2022-23, indoor burning accounted for 12 per cent of all solid-fuel use, up from 8 per cent in 2018-19. Industry research has also indicated that log-burning stoves are increasingly being marketed as desirable design features in modern homes, with some homeowners viewing them as a way to enhance a property’s appeal. At present, solid-fuel appliances are sold with energy efficiency labels showing the performance of the fuel they use. Under the new plans, ministers are expected to approve the addition of health warnings on all newly sold stoves.
According to government documents, the labels are intended to give consumers clearer information when making purchasing decisions, including details about the possible health effects of domestic burning. Officials also believe the warnings could encourage manufacturers to develop cleaner stove technology.
The policy is part of a broader effort to reduce emissions of PM2.5, a form of fine particulate pollution made up of particles measuring 2.5 micrometres or less. The World Health Organisation regards PM2.5 as especially harmful because it can enter the bloodstream and affect internal organs, and it has been associated with a range of serious illnesses.
Consultation papers state that PM2.5 emissions from domestic burning increased by 36 per cent between 2009 and 2020, largely because of a rise in wood burning. The documents add that, although previous policies have helped lower emissions in some areas, further action is still needed.
The warnings under consideration for stoves are understood to say: “Please be aware that this appliance emits air pollution into and around your home which can harm your health.”
The Government is also considering health warnings on wood sold for use in such appliances. One proposed message says: “Burning in the home leads to air pollution which has a negative impact on the health of you and your family.”
The proposed labels would apply only to newly sold stoves rather than those already in use. Asthma + Lung UK, which campaigns on air quality and respiratory illness, has welcomed the move, although it has argued that the plans do not go far enough to shield the public from what it describes as dangerously high emissions.
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A government source said householders using solid-fuel stoves would not face fines under the proposals, though tougher penalties for suppliers selling wood are said to be under consideration. A Defra spokesperson said: “Dirty air robs people of their health and costs our NHS millions each year to treat lung conditions and asthma.
“We are consulting on taking action to reduce emissions from domestic burning, and their impact on the health of householders and their neighbours.”
