Preventing Smoke Nuisance
Read about it in this blog
The RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) provides advice on when it's better not to burn wood. The so-called burning alert is intended to reduce the nuisance caused by wood stoves and fire pits.
It's by now widely known that wood stoves and fire pits are harmful to our health due to the emission of smoke gases and fine particles. In cities where environmental zones are being established, the realization is growing that these types of fireplaces should eventually be completely banned.
In collaboration with the KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute), the RIVM will issue a daily burning alert, similar to a smog alert. If the weather is unfavorable, the smoke will linger longer, and the burning alert will receive higher attention.
To counter the dumping of wood stoves on the Dutch market, the government has advanced the stricter regulations for wood stoves, originally scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2022, to January 1, 2020.
Although a step in the right direction, the organization "Houtrook Vrij" (Smoke-Free Wood Burning) finds the burning alert still too lenient as it currently remains advisory. Ultimately, there is a perfect alternative—burning bioethanol is completely clean and causes no nuisance.
The bioethanol burners and bioethanol fireplaces from Xaralyn Clean Fire System are a great example of how we can safely and cleanly deal with open fire in and around the house in the future.
Also, take a look at the segment by EenVandaag on this topic. A large group of Dutch people has experienced significant health issues caused by burning wood.
