Prof Jurgita Ovadnevaite of the Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies at the University of Galway said the findings were a surprise. Photograph: Andrew Downes/xposureLow-smoke and smokeless fuels do not lower the risk to human health from air pollution, scientists in Galway have found. These ultrafine particles, PM0.1, are invisible to the naked eye so even when there are many of them, they are emitted without appearing as smoke. “Our results indicate that switching from raw solid fuels to those marketed as ‘smokeless’ may not yield the anticipated health benefits,” their study states. “But at least if you understand how burning fuels affects your own health, you can make that conscious decision to burn or not.

Source: The Irish Times March 02, 2026 20:10 UTC