The Tuggeranong Community Council is urging the ACT Government to act on its report on wood-fired heaters in Canberra.

The report, tabled in the Legislative Assembly last week, found wood smoke in Canberra's south was contributing to unhealthy pollution levels in winter and the council says the Government should do more to improve education about the hazards of wood smoke.

An inversion layer, created by Tuggeranong's unique topography, traps pollution in the valley on cold and still days.

Wood smoke can cause respiratory and cardiovascular illness, and air quality has been below safety levels on several days in the past three years.

Council president Darryl Johnston said he was shocked and alarmed by Environment Minister Simon Corbell's report, which suggested the wood-heating industry had used its power of veto in 2004 to block the Australian Standards Council introducing improved emission standards for wood-burning heaters sold in Australia.

''Wood smoke contains many of the same cancer-causing chemicals found in cigarette smoke,'' Mr Johnston said.

''It affects the health not only of those who live with a wood-burning heater but their neighbours, the elderly, the young whose lungs are still developing and those with a pre-existing heart or lung condition.''

He said a proper education program on the health as well as the environmental impacts of winter wood smoke pollution must be fully funded and resourced.

Mr Johnston also said the Government's Wood Heater Buyback Scheme would be more effective with greater advertising.

Sighted http://www.canberratimes.com.au, 29 September 2010