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Department of Ecology News Release - December 23, 2002
02-233
OLYMPIA - Chestnuts roasting on an open fire may be traditional for the holidays, but experts say this scenario could wreak havoc on your health.
"There are thousands of different chemicals in wood smoke, including many that are profoundly irritating and potentially cancer-causing," said Matt Kadlec, a toxicologist who works for the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology).
Translation? "If you burn it, you breathe it," said Leslie Thorpe, Ecology spokeswoman. "Holiday fires add atmosphere, but if they hurt your family's health, it's just not worth the risk."
Tiny particles, too small for the body to fend off, carry poisons from smoke deep into our lungs, causing breathing difficulties for many people. Because damage from these poisons can accumulate and cause disease over time, "that smoky fireplace could be robbing you of years of your life," said Thorpe.
By some estimates, smoke from woodstoves and fireplaces produces 12 times as much lifetime cancer risk as exposure to an equal amount of second-hand cigarette smoke.
Woodstoves and fireplaces account for about 12 percent of Washington's overall air pollution problem. But in winter months, that number soars to 80 percent in residential neighborhoods. Older people, children, and people with asthma, heart or lung disease are most at risk from the toxic chemicals in wood smoke.
To protect your family from dangerous smoke particles this holiday season, Ecology officials want you to remember these important tips about fireplaces and woodstoves:
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
