A new investigative article in The BMJ shows how the wood stove industry influences government policies in the UK.
Using freedom of information requests, The BMJ detailed how the Stove Industry Association (SIA) mounted pressure campaigns in England and Scotland to reverse and prevent proposed bans on wood stoves in new buildings.
The industry argued that modern wood stoves “aligned with government goals to reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality,” despite public health experts and advocates pointing out that they are actually a significant source of air pollution.
Shockingly, the SIA’s pressure campaign was rewarded with a government Trade Association award in February 2026.
Meanwhile, researchers and prominent medical organizations have urged the governments of England and Scotland to phase out wood stoves in urban areas and reinstate the ban in new homes in Scotland.
The investigative report, “No wood burner ban for new homes after industry argues it would ‘harm economy’—despite medical warnings on pollution,” can be read in full on The BMJ website, along with a detailed response from pediatrician Dr Giovanni Ghirga, who points out that:
This is, in effect, a transfer of health risk and economic cost from industry to citizens, enabled by the continued promotion and protection of domestic wood burning.
