Amid
snowy tree branches and slush-dappled parked cars, the aroma of wood smoke
makes its way down many Rochester streets. Even if you don’t burn wood yourself,
you get a taste of the season and all its associations — like that “chestnuts
roasting on an open fire” thing.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The romance invites itself into your
home, too, on your clothes and hair or through cracks in window frames and
doorways. However the smoke gains entry, it’s fun to guess if your neighbors
are burning apple wood or hickory. Makes you want to pull on the slippers, pet
the dog, and mull the cider.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย But if you have a breathing problem,
you might sniff at the atavism. Let’s face it, residential chimney smoke —
whether it comes from apple wood or old newspapers and plastic bags casually
tossed into the fuel mix — is still smoke. And it’s a major urban pollution
source and health hazard, just as surely as if it came out of a truck tailpipe.
Listen to the
federal Environmental
Protection Agency.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “Wood-burning appliances and
fireplaces,” says an EPA fact sheet, “may emit large quantities of air
pollutants. Wood smoke contains hundreds of chemical compounds, including
nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, organic gases, and particulate matter… [M]any
of these compounds can cause serious health problems, especially for children,
pregnant women, and people with respiratory ailments. Several of these
pollutants have demonstrated cancer-causing properties similar to cigarette
smoke…”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The private sector makes a similar
judgment. An advisory from the Sierra Club’s Minnesota affiliate, for example,
says wood smoke contains things like sulfur dioxide (a key regulated air
pollutant), formaldehyde, dioxins (a champ among carcinogens), and a class of
toxics called “volatile organic compounds.” And Minnesotans need to know, since
northern states with low winter temperatures and large areas of woodland have
come to depend on wood burning for a significant fraction of their energy
supply.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Gases like carbon monoxide are
nothing to ignore. But particulate matter — “PM,” as regulators and watchdogs
call it, or soot and ash, as it’s known to laypeople — is climbing higher and
higher on the list of concerns. (Compare the story of diesel exhaust and school
buses, City Newspaper, September 18.)
And it’s particulate matter that gives wood smoke its range of “flavors.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The American Lung Association’s
Washington State affiliate — again, a state with plenty of wood burners —
tells why these flavors are no treat. Extremely small particulates from wood
burning, says an ALAW backgrounder, “can slip past the respiratory system’s
natural defenses” and “reach the alveoli, tiny air sacs where oxygen enters the
blood stream.” Once there, says the backgrounder, the particulates “interfere
with oxygen uptake,” with obvious implications for people with breathing
problems. Moreover, says the backgrounder, “toxic and cancer-causing compounds
can ‘hitchhike’ into the lung on [the] particulates and be directly
absorbed…”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย All in all, particulates in wood
smoke and other substances can harm anyone. But asthma sufferers, many seniors,
and the very young — those who have impaired or undeveloped lung capacity —
are the ones who suffer most.
So wood smoke is nothing to
sneeze at. But how much of it is out there, anyway? Enough to be a serious pollution problem for entire
communities?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Overall, the “hearth industry” is
booming. The Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association, a trade group, says that
in 2001, around 1.6 million “hearth appliances” — stoves, fireplace inserts,
etc. — were shipped in the US. This was a 3 percent decline from the year
2000, but annual sales of these devices, says the association, have soared 112
percent since 1992.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย According to the association, around
40 percent of units shipped in 2001 burned cordwood; almost all the rest burned
natural gas. (Some stoves burn wood pellets, coal, or oil, or run on
electricity. And then there’s another category: wood furnaces, which we won’t
get into here.)
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย But, says the association, year 2000
shipments of wood-fired units increased by five percent over the year before, while shipments of gas units declined 11 percent. The association
attributes this to several things: higher natural gas prices; more interest in
alternative fuels after the California energy crunch; and the economic
recession, including a jolt from September 11. Yet over the last five years, says the association, there
has been a discernible movement toward gas and away from wood.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย In any case, the figures show that a
lot of new wood-burning devices are going into American homes. For example:
Using federal statistics, the association estimates that nearly 55 million US
homes had fireplaces in 2000, though only around 59 percent of the fireplaces
were actually usable. (Note that fireplace usage may not correspond with
figures for the use of wood as a secondary heating fuel — not surprisingly,
since many open fireplaces are just for show.)
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The federal Department of Energy
says that in 1997, 13 percent of US households used wood as a “secondary
heating fuel.” That was down eight percent from 1987, thanks to an increase in
the use of electric heaters. But residential wood use in 1997 was about the
same as in 1978, during alternative energy’s glory days after the 1973 oil
embargo.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย New York has its share of serious
wood burners. The 2000 US Census found that wood was the primary heating fuel
in 83,000 of the state’s 7 million households.
Numbers aside, the question
comes up: Is anyone regulating fireplaces and wood stoves and their air
emissions?
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Yes and no.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย First, local governments certainly
do regulate some aspects; the biggest concern is preventing homes from burning
down. Juan Linares, who monitors building code compliance for the City of
Rochester, says city inspectors make sure contractors and homeowners have
followed product requirements before granting permits. “The manufacturers,”
says Linares, “give us information about how far [stoves and stovepipes] have
to be from combustible walls.” The devices, he says, must have “UL
certification or the equivalent.” The same goes for natural gas-burning stoves,
whether vented or ventless. (Linares adds that people who suspect an
installation was done without proper inspection can contact their NET office
for help.)
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “The city has no air emissions
regulation authority of any sort,” says Edward Doherty, the city of Rochester’s
Commissioner of Environmental Services. Nor does the city offer financial
incentives to help people switch from older, dirtier stoves to cleaner-burning
new models, according to Doherty.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย On most things wood smoke-related,
it’s the state and feds that have the power. The federal Environmental
Protection Agency, for example, has regulated emissions from so-called
“airtight stoves” since the early 1990s. The EPA regulates only the
manufacturer, though, not the homeowner or other “end user.” And all stoves
built before the regs took effect are “grandfathered,” that is, exempt from the
regulations. The quasi-regulation has achieved some benefits, however. “Older
stoves and fireplaces released from 40 to 80 grams per hour of smoke; the new
EPA-approved stoves produce from two to five grams per hour,” says HearthNet,
an online trade publication.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย State and federal governments have
run incentive programs off and on, too. Last year, for example, a consortium of
retailers and manufacturers in 11 states, including New York, and the province
of Ontario conducted the “Great Wood Stove and Fireplace Changeout.” The
program gave cash incentives, varying with jurisdiction, to people who bought
new units — equipped with catalytic converters, afterburners, and the like
— to replace older, dirtier ones. Agencies in the Great Lakes region were
especially concerned about benzo(a)pyrene, a constituent of wood smoke that can
filter down and harm aquatic ecosystems.
Though the
heating season is upon us, we’ve already missed “Wood Smoke Awareness
Month,” as declared by a California-based not-for-profit group, Clean Air
Revival.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย The group and its “Burning Issues”
campaign, led by activist Mary Rozenberg, are dedicated to weaning people from
wood burning, pure and simple. The campaign, says Rozenberg via e-mail, “is
opposed to all wood burning because none of the new wood burning technology
comes close to reducing particulate pollution and carcinogenic byproducts to
the levels that are available from burning cleaner fuels like [natural] gas and
oil.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Other environmental groups don’t go
that far. For example, the Sierra Club of Minnesota urges people to switch from
older stoves to new EPA-certified models, for example. But the American Lung
Association of Washington — another state that regulates wood burning pretty
strictly — seems to back Rozenberg up.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย First, the ALAW suggests some minor
reforms, so to speak: using certified equipment and using optimally dry wood
for fuel. (Too many suppliers deliver wet, unseasoned cordage.) And the group
says it’s wise to “stay alert to air-quality conditions” and keep your fireplace
off-line during pollution alerts.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย But the ALAW’s bottom line is this:
“Replace your old wood stove with a natural gas, propane, or electric furnace.”
That might make some people do a slow burn, but it probably makes sense for
densely populated areas.
This article appears in Dec 4-10, 2002.
