Woodstoves, the smoking gun of Dutch urban air pollution

Air pollution levels vary significantly within urban environments due to the high density of local emission sources and limited ventilation. Over the past 30 years, the Dutch annual emission inventory has recorded a remarkable decline in road traffic-related PM2.5 emissions (including both tailpipe and wear particles), with a 13-fold reduction driven by stricter regulations.

However, this progress has not extended to woodstove emissions. Despite various initiatives—such as subsidies for high-efficiency woodstoves and woodstove operation courses—emission reductions remain negligible. Since 2020, PM2.5 emissions from woodstoves have been three times higher than those from road traffic and show no signs of decline. This trend is partly due to the shift away from natural gas heating, driven by rising gas prices and the initial promotion of woodstoves as a carbon-neutral alternative. As a result, woodstove usage has surged, making it a primary heating source.

These developments pose a significant challenge to meeting EU air quality targets in cities by 2030. To assess the spatial distribution of PM2.5 pollution, measurements were conducted using novel instruments within the Netherlands' most densely populated citizen science monitoring network. A novel analytical method was applied to quantify spatial variations, revealing a distinctive emission signature associated with woodstove usage.  . .