Household wood smoke leaves 1.2 million Dutch with lung conditions struggling to breathe
Over 1.2 million people with lung conditions in the Netherlands are affected by poor air quality, mainly caused by household wood stoves, barbecues, and fire pits, the Dutch Lung Foundation (Longfonds) said. Traffic and industry are no longer the main contributors.
Recent RIVM measurements show that no municipality meets the World Health Organization’s PM2.5 limit of 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Air is cleanest in the northern Netherlands and Zeeland, with Vlieland leading, while Den Bosch, Utrecht, and Eindhoven rank worst.
“Our air is getting cleaner, but it is still unhealthy,” Károly Illy, Longfonds director, told AD. “One in four Dutch people regularly experiences problems from wood smoke. For those with lung disease, it can trigger asthma attacks, increase medication use, and sometimes end in the emergency room.”
Today, households emit 5.7 million kilos from wood stoves and fireplaces, surpassing traffic and industry combined. While emissions from sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and ammonia have dropped sharply, small soot particles remain a major concern. Fine particles from wood smoke can penetrate deep into the lungs and may cause heart and vascular problems over time.
Residents can check local air quality hourly on the Gezonde Lucht Check website, which offers advice based on RIVM data.
“People do not intend to bother neighbors with wood smoke,” Illy told AD. “But the particles they create have real effects. I’m not calling for a total ban, but avoid burning when it’s windless.”
Only one-third of municipalities have signed the Clean Air Agreement, which aims to improve air quality and achieve a 50 percent health gain by 2030. Illy criticized its voluntary nature but praised cities taking measures, including Amsterdam’s ban on fossil-fueled construction equipment and Amersfoort’s restriction on wood burning under low-wind conditions.
