Health impacts of anthropogenic biomass burning in the developed world

Torben Sigsgaard; Bertil Forsberg; Isabella Annesi-Maesano; Anders Blomberg; Anette Bolling; Christoffer Boman; Jakob Bonlokke; Michael Brauer; Nigel Bruce; Marie-Eve Heroux; Maija-Riitta Hirvonen; Frank Kelly; Nino Kuenzli; Bo Lundback; Hanns Moshammer; Curtis Noonan; Joachim Pagels; Gerd Sallsten; Jean-Paul Sculier; Bert Brunekreef'

doi:10.1183/13993003.01865-2014

Health impacts of anthropogenic biomass burning in the developed world

Torben Sigsgaard^*, Bertil Forsberg, Isabella Annesi-Maesano, Anders Blomberg, Anette Bolling, Christoffer Boman, Jakob Bonlokke, Michael Brauer, Nigel Bruce, Marie-Eve Heroux, Maija-Riitta Hirvonen, Frank Kelly, Nino Kuenzli, Bo Lundback, Hanns Moshammer, Curtis Noonan, Joachim Pagels, Gerd Sallsten, Jean-Paul Sculier, Bert Brunekreef'

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Climate change policies have stimulated a shift towards renewable energy sources such as biomass. The economic crisis of 2008 has also increased the practice of household biomass burning as it is often cheaper than using oil, gas or electricity for heating. As a result, household biomass combustion is becoming an important source of air pollutants in the European Union.

This position paper discusses the contribution of biomass combustion to pollution levels in Europe, and the emerging evidence on the adverse health effects of biomass combustion products.

Epidemiological studies in the developed world have documented associations between indoor and outdoor exposure to biomass combustion products and a range of adverse health effects. A conservative estimate of the current contribution of biomass smoke to premature mortality in Europe amounts to at least 40 000 deaths per year.

We conclude that emissions from current biomass combustion products negatively affect respiratory and, possibly, cardiovascular health in Europe. Biomass combustion emissions, in contrast to emissions from most other sources of air pollution, are increasing. More needs to be done to further document the health effects of biomass combustion in Europe, and to reduce emissions of harmful biomass combustion products to protect public health.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1577-1588
Number of pages	12
Journal	European Respiratory Journal
Volume	46
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01865-2014
Publication status	Published - Dec 2015

Keywords

FINE-PARTICULATE MATTER
WOOD-SMOKE PARTICLES
AMBIENT AIR-POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS
OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY-DISEASE
RESPIRATORY-TRACT DEPOSITION
EMERGENCY-DEPARTMENT VISITS
COMPARATIVE RISK-ASSESSMENT
HEART-RATE-VARIABILITY
SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE

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10.1183/13993003.01865-2014

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Sigsgaard, T., Forsberg, B., Annesi-Maesano, I., Blomberg, A., Bolling, A., Boman, C., Bonlokke, J., Brauer, M., Bruce, N., Heroux, M.-E., Hirvonen, M.-R., Kelly, F., Kuenzli, N., Lundback, B., Moshammer, H., Noonan, C., Pagels, J., Sallsten, G., Sculier, J.-P., & Brunekreef', B. (2015). Health impacts of anthropogenic biomass burning in the developed world. European Respiratory Journal, 46(6), 1577-1588. https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01865-2014

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title = "Health impacts of anthropogenic biomass burning in the developed world",

abstract = "Climate change policies have stimulated a shift towards renewable energy sources such as biomass. The economic crisis of 2008 has also increased the practice of household biomass burning as it is often cheaper than using oil, gas or electricity for heating. As a result, household biomass combustion is becoming an important source of air pollutants in the European Union.This position paper discusses the contribution of biomass combustion to pollution levels in Europe, and the emerging evidence on the adverse health effects of biomass combustion products.Epidemiological studies in the developed world have documented associations between indoor and outdoor exposure to biomass combustion products and a range of adverse health effects. A conservative estimate of the current contribution of biomass smoke to premature mortality in Europe amounts to at least 40 000 deaths per year.We conclude that emissions from current biomass combustion products negatively affect respiratory and, possibly, cardiovascular health in Europe. Biomass combustion emissions, in contrast to emissions from most other sources of air pollution, are increasing. More needs to be done to further document the health effects of biomass combustion in Europe, and to reduce emissions of harmful biomass combustion products to protect public health.",

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author = "Torben Sigsgaard and Bertil Forsberg and Isabella Annesi-Maesano and Anders Blomberg and Anette Bolling and Christoffer Boman and Jakob Bonlokke and Michael Brauer and Nigel Bruce and Marie-Eve Heroux and Maija-Riitta Hirvonen and Frank Kelly and Nino Kuenzli and Bo Lundback and Hanns Moshammer and Curtis Noonan and Joachim Pagels and Gerd Sallsten and Jean-Paul Sculier and Bert Brunekreef'",

year = "2015",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1183/13993003.01865-2014",

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Sigsgaard, T, Forsberg, B, Annesi-Maesano, I, Blomberg, A, Bolling, A, Boman, C, Bonlokke, J, Brauer, M, Bruce, N, Heroux, M-E, Hirvonen, M-R, Kelly, F, Kuenzli, N, Lundback, B, Moshammer, H, Noonan, C, Pagels, J, Sallsten, G, Sculier, J-P & Brunekreef', B 2015, 'Health impacts of anthropogenic biomass burning in the developed world', European Respiratory Journal, vol. 46, no. 6, pp. 1577-1588. https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01865-2014

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T1 - Health impacts of anthropogenic biomass burning in the developed world

AU - Sigsgaard, Torben

AU - Forsberg, Bertil

AU - Annesi-Maesano, Isabella

AU - Blomberg, Anders

AU - Bolling, Anette

AU - Boman, Christoffer

AU - Bonlokke, Jakob

AU - Brauer, Michael

AU - Bruce, Nigel

AU - Heroux, Marie-Eve

AU - Hirvonen, Maija-Riitta

AU - Kelly, Frank

AU - Kuenzli, Nino

AU - Lundback, Bo

AU - Moshammer, Hanns

AU - Noonan, Curtis

AU - Pagels, Joachim

AU - Sallsten, Gerd

AU - Sculier, Jean-Paul

AU - Brunekreef', Bert

PY - 2015/12

Y1 - 2015/12

N2 - Climate change policies have stimulated a shift towards renewable energy sources such as biomass. The economic crisis of 2008 has also increased the practice of household biomass burning as it is often cheaper than using oil, gas or electricity for heating. As a result, household biomass combustion is becoming an important source of air pollutants in the European Union.This position paper discusses the contribution of biomass combustion to pollution levels in Europe, and the emerging evidence on the adverse health effects of biomass combustion products.Epidemiological studies in the developed world have documented associations between indoor and outdoor exposure to biomass combustion products and a range of adverse health effects. A conservative estimate of the current contribution of biomass smoke to premature mortality in Europe amounts to at least 40 000 deaths per year.We conclude that emissions from current biomass combustion products negatively affect respiratory and, possibly, cardiovascular health in Europe. Biomass combustion emissions, in contrast to emissions from most other sources of air pollution, are increasing. More needs to be done to further document the health effects of biomass combustion in Europe, and to reduce emissions of harmful biomass combustion products to protect public health.

AB - Climate change policies have stimulated a shift towards renewable energy sources such as biomass. The economic crisis of 2008 has also increased the practice of household biomass burning as it is often cheaper than using oil, gas or electricity for heating. As a result, household biomass combustion is becoming an important source of air pollutants in the European Union.This position paper discusses the contribution of biomass combustion to pollution levels in Europe, and the emerging evidence on the adverse health effects of biomass combustion products.Epidemiological studies in the developed world have documented associations between indoor and outdoor exposure to biomass combustion products and a range of adverse health effects. A conservative estimate of the current contribution of biomass smoke to premature mortality in Europe amounts to at least 40 000 deaths per year.We conclude that emissions from current biomass combustion products negatively affect respiratory and, possibly, cardiovascular health in Europe. Biomass combustion emissions, in contrast to emissions from most other sources of air pollution, are increasing. More needs to be done to further document the health effects of biomass combustion in Europe, and to reduce emissions of harmful biomass combustion products to protect public health.

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KW - WOOD-SMOKE PARTICLES

KW - AMBIENT AIR-POLLUTION

KW - POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS

KW - OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY-DISEASE

KW - RESPIRATORY-TRACT DEPOSITION

KW - EMERGENCY-DEPARTMENT VISITS

KW - COMPARATIVE RISK-ASSESSMENT

KW - HEART-RATE-VARIABILITY

KW - SHORT-TERM EXPOSURE

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U2 - 10.1183/13993003.01865-2014

DO - 10.1183/13993003.01865-2014

M3 - Article

C2 - 26405285

SN - 0903-1936

VL - 46

SP - 1577

EP - 1588

JO - European Respiratory Journal

JF - European Respiratory Journal

IS - 6

ER -

Health impacts of anthropogenic biomass burning in the developed world

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Keywords

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