Winter is coming. And so is the impact of your wood smoke on your neighbours. When was the last time you went outside and saw what impact your woodsmoke was having on your neighbours.
Unknowingly for many of our households who wood fired heating this is a period of dread for neighbours and the wider community who silently suffer the wood smoke from poorly maintained or managed fireplaces.
Wind, temperature and sunlight all have an impact on the movement and dispersion of particle pollution. Temperature inversions, where pollution is trapped in a cold layer of air at ground level, can also have an impact.
Eurobodalla council advises that smoke from solid fuel heaters is one of the most common causes of air pollution in Eurobodalla Shire.
Solid fuel burning in the home provides an effective economical and attractive method of heating. However, the installation of solid fuel heating devices has the potential to create significant problems with respect to fire hazard, environmental pollution and nuisance to adjoining properties.
Smoke from wood heaters is a major cause of air pollution. Not only is a smoking fire wasting your money, but the air pollution it causes can also affect our health.
Wood smoke contains a number of noxious gases (including carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and a range of organic compounds, some of which are toxic or carcinogenic) and fine particles, which go deep into the lungs.
If you can see or smell smoke from your wood heater then you are causing a problem for yourself, your family and your neighbours.
That's why you need to change the way you use your heaters.
The EPA has developed a short animation as part of a council resource kit to raise awareness about the harmful impacts of wood smoke pollution and provide practical tips for wood heater owners to better operate their wood heaters.
Should you have a problem with air emissions, always attempt to discuss the issue directly with the person responsible for the nuisance in order to try and achieve a solution. Agree on a definate timeframe to do something about the problem. If the situation has not changed after that time, it may then be necessary to contact the Eurobodalla Council Public and Environmental Health Team:
T: 02 4474 1310
