Calls for wood-fired heaters to be phased out over health concerns

Asthma Australia says wood-fired heaters pose too many health risks and it’s time to “phase them out”.

It comes after the City of Yarra made a submission to the Municipal Association of Victoria to change planning guidelines which would effectively ban wood-fired heaters in densely populated areas.

CEO of Asthma Australia, Michele Goldman, says many people suffer when wood-fired heaters are used.

“We have calls all the time during the winter months from people who are frustrated, feeling helpless, angry, because neighbouring homes are burning their wood heaters,” she told Neil Mitchell on 3AW Mornings.

“The smoke gets into their own homes – so it’s not even just about not being able to walk in the street – and it causes asthma symptoms, then you’ve got flare ups and trips to the hospital.

“Wood-fire heater smoke … is our largest contributor to smoke … pollution in the winter months, and so a small amount of heaters is contributing a significant problem in terms of our environment, our air quality, and our health.”

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