An ad by Brighton and Hove City Council has been banned for misleadingly suggesting a direct link between the use of wood burners and open fires and an increase in pollution.
The digital poster, seen in December, included a graphic of a wood-burning stove that was emitting smoke in the shape of an adult and child, and the text: “Harmful particle pollution near 4 city primary schools was 78% higher last winter compared with last summer. Wood burners and open fires. The cosy killer.”
Small text at the bottom of the ad stated: “City sensor data comparing December 2024 to April 2025 with May 2025 to November 2025 at Middle Street, Elm Grove Primary, Adlington Primary and Saltdean Primary schools.”
Two complainants, including the owner of a chimney sweeping business, said the ad misleadingly implied that the use of wood burners and open fires was the cause of the claimed increase in particle pollution.
Brighton & Hove City Council said the ad was part of a campaign to raise awareness of the damaging impact of particulate matter (PM) pollution from domestic wood burning, including open fires and wood burners.
They compared pollution levels in two parts of the year – one covering winter months when wood burners and open fires were used more often and the other covering the warmer April to October.
Across all eight monitoring sites PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or less) pollution was 91% higher in period one than period two.
The same results showed a 79% increase across the four primary schools between the two periods.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ad implied there was a direct causal link between the use of wood burners and open fires, and the claimed increase in particulate pollution, and that those heat sources were the sole cause of the increase.
It said: “While we understood domestic wood burning was a significant contributor to urban PM2.5 emissions, we had not seen evidence in support of the direct link claimed in the ad.”
The ASA found that additional evidence supplied by the council did not make findings on the claimed increase in particulate pollution at the primary schools referenced in the ad.
The ASA concluded: “The ad implied that wood burners and open fires were the cause of the claimed increase in particulate pollution around four city primary schools.
“However, we had not seen evidence to substantiate the claim. We therefore concluded the ad was likely to mislead.”
Banning the ad, the ASA said: “We told Brighton & Hove City Council to ensure that robust evidence was held to substantiate any claims where a direct causal link between the use of wood burners and open fires and an increase in particle pollution was stated or implied.”
Councillor Tim Rowkins, cabinet member for net zero and environmental services at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: “We have clear and detailed local data that shows the impact that burning solid fuels has on air quality in our densely populated urban areas.
“The ASA has ruled that, in one of the campaign graphics we used, there was an insufficiently clear link to the evidence. There was no ruling against the campaign as a whole, or the other materials that were used.
“The health implications of PM2.5 exposure are well-documented. We’re working towards cleaner air in Brighton & Hove and will always act to protect the health of people in our city.”
