Wood burning stoves are a growing method of heating and Sheffield is no exception to this phenomenon, with the South-West of the city having one of the highest densities of wood burners in the north.

A two-month Government consultation ends this week, with new guidelines on wood-burning-stoves to be addressed, in an attempt to reduce emissions from homes.

Wood burning is one is the main sources of particulate pollution in the UK, and many residents have voiced their concerns over the impact. Between August 2023 and September 2024, 208 complaints were made to Sheffield City Council, who sent 135 warning letters, but issued zero fines.

One woman from Totley, who wishes to remain anonymous, feels the increase of people using wood burners has significantly affected her family. She believes that her mother developed respiratory problems due to someone’s wood burner.

The occupants had installed a chimney, causing smoke to enter through her bedroom window. She said : “My mother was waking up at two in the morning with asthma symptoms.

“She had never had asthma before, but suddenly when she woke up she couldn’t breathe.”

Her mother was provided with a monitor to measure pollutants and particulates, but she claims the readings were inaccurate.

She feels this problem is part of a bigger issue around the need for cleaner air in Sheffield. “I can’t go out running in winter because of the choking flames on my street, you’re just not breathing fresh air,” she said.

Sheffield City Council announced a clean air zone in the city centre in 2023, to reduce harmful emissions by drivers. Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs), vans, and taxis must pay a £10 daily fine, £50 per day for coaches, buses and lorries, if they do not meet Euro 6 diesel standards.

Despite these limitations, there is no legislation on wood burning inside the city. Our anonymous source said: “I’d like to move closer to the city, but I just don’t dare, the smell (from wood-burning) is so much stronger.”

“How is this in the spirit of the clean air act? It’s not.”

She called for stronger Government legislation and council enforcement to prohibit wood-burners. “The council have absolutely neglected this issue,” she said. “They are neglecting communities.”

Sheffield Wire has contacted Sheffield City Council for comment.

South-West Sheffield is one of the densest spaces for wood burner usage. Sheffield Wire travelled to Hunters Bar to discover whether people use wood burners and what their feelings on the heavily debated source of heating are.

Everyone we asked owned a wood burner, but they had differing opinions on their effects and whether legislation should be introduced.

Yannia, a local resident, said rising gas prices have made wood burning a much cheaper alternative. “It’s the only way people will keep warm at this moment in time,” she said.

“I’d cut down trees to keep my family warm, if it wasn’t for a log burner what would young working families do?”

Matt, 32, shared concerns about potential legislation, believing it would be too controlling on individual’s way of life. He was one of many residents who suggested alternate heating methods. “There are better ways to log burn ethically, if you’re educated there’s not much of a problem,” he said.

“Burning timber is better than coal, if we can make timber readily available that’s a better approach.”

Matt said he was currently looking at buying a house, and due to rising energy costs, has decided to purchase a log burner. “I don’t want to rely on the war in The Middle East for oil prices,” he said.

Emma, 50, another resident also suggested alternate heating methods.”We should move more towards a heat pump, it uses electricity generated from natural resources, it’s less polluting to the atmosphere,” she said.

“A cleaner air environment should be what we’re aiming for, wood burners pollute the atmosphere, we should have some legislation.”

“I do accept for some people it might be the cheapest option,” she admitted.

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said they ignore the environmental impact of wood burners because of their convenience. It’s so expensive to heat the home, the convivence of a wood burner means she doesn’t think about long term impacts, she said.

The Iran war has completely obscured oil prices with the price per litre of oil having doubled since the start of the conflict, many people may see wood burning as a much cheaper alternative.

Our first anonymous source disagreed that cost was an issue. She described wood burners as a ‘middle-class phenomenon’. She said: “The vast majority of people using wood burners can afford it.” She described them as a ‘decoration piece’, not a way of saving money.

But risks of pollution remain. Dr Maria Val Martin, a researcher at the University of Sheffield has published multiple articles on greenspace and air pollution disparities in urban Northern-England. Her research shows ethnic minorities in Sheffield face higher NO₂ (nitrous oxide) levels and lower greenspace density exposure, with wood burning concentrated in colder, more deprived regions.

Charities have published significant warnings on pollution levels in the city. Mums for Lungs state fireplace usage leads to a 70% higher risk for lung cancer with air pollution in the home causing 2,500 premature deaths. They state an open fire emits over 4,000 times more than a particulate matter pollutant (PM2.5) than a gas heater.

Another charity, Clean Air for Sheffield, has been campaigning against wood burners since 2017. They have previously run art exhibitions in the Moor, to highlight PM2.5s and clean air awareness.

This week, both charities have expressed their concerns about lobbyist threats to anti-wood burning campaigns.

The Stove Industry Association (SIA), has threatened at least eight councils with legal action over public information campaigns which claim wood burners are “careless not cosy”, stating this is in breach of UK advertising laws.

Mums for Lungs said this is even more reason for people to respond to harmful wood burning.

They have expressed worries about what the Government consultation will achieve.

Labour are set to introduce health warning labels on new wood burning stoves , with a sticker providing information on energy levels of fuel made mandatory. The Government has said this will: “provide customers with the information they need to make informed choices, including information about the health impacts of domestic burning.”

Mums for Lungs believe this is not enough. “This might sound promising but actually this won’t reduce the current high levels of wood burning pollution at all,” they said.

Our main anonymous source agreed that this was not sufficient. “There should be annual MOT’s on them, like we do on cars,” she said.

Journalist Sam Gregory, who has worked with Mums for Lungs, feels the issue is awareness, and believes people are unaware of the dangers of wood burning. Mr Gregory claims the proposed Government reform is not enough. He said the Government is worried about it becoming a bigger issue. Mr Gregory said wood burners should be banned within five years, with a complete ban on wood burners in homes with children necessary.

The Government’s full scheme will be revealed this week, but for now Sheffield residents are left unsure whether any further action to provide a cleaner, safer environment will be taken.