More scaremongering by the Scottish government this time....

[BowlandStoves]

One death is one death too many but to throw all of the blame on wood burning stoves is a little far fetched:-

 

Wood burning stoves face axe as Scots pollution death toll is revealed

WWW.HERALDSCOTLAND.COM

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A BAN on domestic wood burning is on the cards after it emerged more than one in 29 deaths in Scotland's large...

 

There is even a comment to suggest that PM2.5 particles are being "blown over" the channel to mainland Europe and increasing their PM2.5 numbers. I have seen cases of passing the buck but....come on.....

 

[xdcx]

I work in a town up here that is now berthing over 100 cruise liners per year. Just lookup the unchallenged and ignored figures for one of those bloody things and what they put out compared to the little people burning some wood. 

 

The article literally states that the most common areas for these deaths is in the biggest/busiest cities. So it's not bloody wood burners causing the problem is it? But people in their homes are the easiest thing to attack and blame to gain false perception of "doing something about the pollution problems". 

[BowlandStoves]

Also, if you say it loud enough and long enough - anything can become "the truth".

[NFG]

Politicians reach for the figures and make them up if they don't fit.

 

If you drink a glass of wine, some newspapers would have you believe it was toxic.

 

bon sante - slainte!

[Rob_the_Sparky]

As usual though there is also an element of the papers making it sound worse than it is.  The politicians are as usual lumping together all forms of domestic burning and the papers are then taking that and giving you a headline about wood burners.  Add to that is that the ban is only being considered by one city, not all of Scotland.  In my eye they are both guilty of twisting the truth to their own ends.  Do Stove manufacturers not have their own PR group to help lobby for their corner?

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, Rob_the_Sparky said:

As usual though there is also an element of the papers making it sound worse than it is.

I read a bit of the article but as with much of this disease and pollution business they are  confusing the cause with the result. The number of people dying from lung disorders is being directly attributed to pm2.5 concentration in the local atmosphere. It says nothing about exposure of the individual over their life or the lessening of their remaining life.

 

Yes most particulates are man made and yes particulates do cause lung problems but it's not likely to be a direct correlation and the exposure now is less than the exposure many of we older folk will have lived through.

 

 

[BowlandStoves]

The term "smoke and mirrors" springs to mind.

 

Rob_the_Sparky hit the nail on the head, lumping wood burning stoves with other less efficient forms of burning just doesnt make sense - unless, like politicians, you have an agenda

[Squaredy]

If you scroll down to the last chart in the article it shows London as having the lowest pollution from small particles (pm2.5)  out of all the towns listed.  Is this really possible??? I also am very suspicious of where these figures come from.

[Dan Maynard]

If London didn't have lower particulates then the LEZ would be a waste of time I guess.

[Acerforestry]

All this is complete ballbags, pure and simple. Gas, electric or heating oil - all government regulated. Anything you chuck in a wood stove...not regulated. They want to ban, currently, anything but kiln dried but the overall long term aim will be to stop allowing people to burn whatever they want, because they lose money

Edited February 8, 2020 by Acerforestry
Grammar