The new Ecodesign 2022 standards require in Wallonia for new stoves a maximum rejection of fine particles of 1,728 mg per hour. “But our new wood stoves are still below this standard, with 238 mg/h for wood and 65 mg/h for pellets.“, specifies Jean-François Sidler, boss of Stuv. In comparison, old stoves emit 15,120 mg/h and open fires 64,800 mg/h.
But the engineer specifies that this may still be too much, in places: “Some cities have also banned the installation, or even the use of certain biomass equipment”. And he adds: “The user also has a responsibility: we could very well have equipment that meets standards and which is used by people who don’t care, don’t pay attention, and therefore cause greater pollution..”
How does air pollution threaten our health?
Inevitable particles
The pollution emitted by a wood stove is not constant. “When you put a log in the stove, at first not much happens. Then, at a given moment, there are a lot of flames: it’s the peak of pollution… But it is expected. It’s not excessive, it’s transitory: we must have fluctuations, peaks. “
With pellets, according to Professor Jeanmaert, it is symmetrical: “there is much less risk of misusing your pellet stove than there is with logs“.
Another element to know, to pollute less, is that it is better to start the stove for several hours. “Using your stove just to burn a log is not a good idea, because when it is cold, it pollutes more than when it is hot. It is better to use it for long periods.“
Professor Jeanmart works on catalytic converters. “HAS From a certain threshold, if we want to reduce fine particles, we are obliged to use additional equipment. LCatalytic converters and particle filters are elements that come after combustion in the stove. These are secondary curation measures, which are located in the chimney.
We cannot see the particles
Could Wallonia decide to monitor the age of wood stoves, using aerial views to identify pollution? Professor Jeanmart replies that the particles are not visible. “But when you burn wood, it smells. This is an indication that there are a certain number of molecules being emitted, quite heavy molecules.“
However, we can detect them with a series of sensors, such as Irceline (Interregional Environmental Unit), “but it is quite complex to implement.“
