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Winter Wood Smoke Kills Thousands Annually
27 Jan
Summary
- Residential wood burning causes 22% of winter PM2.5 pollution.
- Wood smoke is linked to an estimated 8,600 premature deaths yearly.
- Urban and minority communities disproportionately suffer health impacts.
Residential wood burning is a major contributor to winter air pollution in the United States, accounting for about 22% of fine particle (PM2.5) pollution. This occurs despite wood being the primary heat source for only 2% of households nationwide. The tiny PM2.5 particles can deeply penetrate the lungs and enter the bloodstream, leading to serious health issues.
The study estimates that pollution from home wood burning is associated with approximately 8,600 premature deaths annually. Lead author Kyan Shlipak noted that reducing residential wood burning could substantially decrease fine particulate matter in the air.
Unexpectedly, urban areas experience the most severe impacts. Smoke from suburban wood fires frequently travels into cities, exposing a larger population to harmful pollutants. This disproportionately affects people of color, who tend to suffer worse health outcomes from this exposure.
Senior author Daniel Horton explained that airborne pollutants do not remain localized, leading to widespread exposure over densely populated cities. He also highlighted that due to existing environmental stressors, people of color face larger negative health consequences.
