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Health impacts of anthropogenic biomass burning in the developed world.

Sigsgaard, Torben ; Forsberg, Bertil ; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella ; Blomberg, Anders ; Bølling, Anette ; Boman, Christoffer ; Bønløkke, Jakob ; Brauer, Michael ; Bruce, Nigel and Héroux, Marie-Eve , et al. (2015) In European Respiratory Journal 46(6). p.1577-1588
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... (More)
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. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
European Respiratory Journal
volume
46
issue
6
pages
1577 - 1588
publisher
European Respiratory Society
external identifiers
  • pmid:26405285
  • wos:000366948700011
  • scopus:84948990037
  • pmid:26405285
ISSN
1399-3003
DOI
10.1183/13993003.01865-2014
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e6da1a78-6ffc-4987-b30d-9a2312a7eef6 (old id 8034973)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:59:11
date last changed
2022-04-20 07:54:41
@article{e6da1a78-6ffc-4987-b30d-9a2312a7eef6,
  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.}},
  author       = {{Sigsgaard, Torben and Forsberg, Bertil and Annesi-Maesano, Isabella and Blomberg, Anders and Bølling, Anette and Boman, Christoffer and Bønløkke, Jakob and Brauer, Michael and Bruce, Nigel and Héroux, Marie-Eve and Hirvonen, Maija-Riitta and Kelly, Frank and Künzli, Nino and Lundbäck, Bo and Moshammer, Hanns and Noonan, Curtis and Pagels, Joakim and Sallsten, Gerd and Sculier, Jean-Paul and Brunekreef, Bert}},
  issn         = {{1399-3003}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1577--1588}},
  publisher    = {{European Respiratory Society}},
  series       = {{European Respiratory Journal}},
  title        = {{Health impacts of anthropogenic biomass burning in the developed world.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01865-2014}},
  doi          = {{10.1183/13993003.01865-2014}},
  volume       = {{46}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}