Wood burning in the home

This winter we are encouraging you to avoid you burning wood to heat your home

Burning solid fuel like wood at home produces air pollution that is harmful to your health, to your neighbours’ health and to the wider community. The council is offering guidance and support with energy costs to ensure cleaner alternatives are your first preference.

Why are we encouraging residents to avoid burning wood?

Across the UK, burning wood in the home is a major source of ultra small particle pollution (PM2.5). In Lambeth it’s a bigger source than all petrol and diesel cars.

Both short-term and long-term exposure to PM2.5 increase the risk of poor health and early deaths from cancer and lung and heart disease.

Even if you are using ‘smokeless’ fuel and a modern Ecodesign stove, burning wood will still cause air pollution and have a negative effect on public health. 

What should I do about it?

We need everyone’s to help make the air in Lambeth safer, so we are asking you not to burn wood at home unless you have no other source of heating. If you are able to switch, here's what you can do.

1. Learn about the issue

Take a look at our Clean Air Day Campaign video where Dr Jane Smith from Kings Hospital explains the health impacts of wood burning in the home.

If you want to find out more, read our fact sheet (PDF, 241KB)

2. Make a commitment to avoid wood burning

As part of our Clean Air Day campaign, we encouraged residents to take a #StopWoodBurning pledge. You can still take part.

Take our Stop Wood Burning pledge

3. Share our resources with your networks 

Everyone has different social and working networks to share important messages. From social media, and team channels to road WhatsApp groups or community notice boards, you can do your bit to spread the word. 

Print our flyer.

Get involved in a local campaign group such as Mums for Lungs, Idling Action London or Choked Up.

Help with energy bills

If you are struggling to pay your energy bills, visit our Cost of Living Support pages for advice on cost of living support and advice. 

The law

As designated by the Clean Air Act 1993, the whole of Lambeth is a smoke control area. If you do burn wood in Lambeth you must follow the rules that apply to smoke control areas. You could face a fine of up to £1,000 if you break the law