PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Torben Sigsgaard
AU  - Bertil Forsberg
AU  - Isabella Annesi-Maesano
AU  - Anders Blomberg
AU  - Anette Bølling
AU  - Christoffer Boman
AU  - Jakob Bønløkke
AU  - Michael Brauer
AU  - Nigel Bruce
AU  - Marie-Eve Héroux
AU  - Maija-Riitta Hirvonen
AU  - Frank Kelly
AU  - Nino Künzli
AU  - Bo Lundbäck
AU  - Hanns Moshammer
AU  - Curtis Noonan
AU  - Joachim Pagels
AU  - Gerd Sallsten
AU  - Jean-Paul Sculier
AU  - Bert Brunekreef
TI  - Health impacts of anthropogenic biomass burning in the developed world
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.01865-2014
DP  - 2015 Dec 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 1577--1588
VI  - 46
IP  - 6
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/6/1577.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/6/1577.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2015 Dec 01; 46
AB  - 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.Biomass combustion is an important source of air pollution and ill health in the EU: emissions need to reduce http://ow.ly/RYkPk