Smoke from a fireplace or wood stove is as toxic as car exhaust according to Danish researchers, reports the Daily Mail.
Published in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, the study analyzed and compared air particles from a Danish village where most of the residents used wood stoves, to a neighbouring rural area with few wood stoves, and to pure wood smoke.
The results found that pure wood smoke caused damage to DNA and upped levels of cancer-causing carcinogens. Tiny particles are suspended in wood smoke and can become very problematic because they are easily inhaled deep within the lungs. Wood smoke particles were also found to contaminate nearby fields of crops as well.
The full scale of the risk is not yet known, but researchers pointed out that for developing countries using wood fires inside the home for cooking and as a heat source, the smoke is a major cause of disease.
It’s recommended that stove owners use only dry wood that’s been cut up into small pieces., and that they should ensure a good flow of air to the fire to minimize particulate emissions. A properly fitted stove should prevent fumes from escaping into the home.