Emissions limits for new wood heaters

[Wilberforce]

Emissions limits for new wood heaters to be phased in over 5 years
Wood smoke linked to wide range of serious health conditions

Posted February 11, 2015

On February 4, EPA finalized standards to limit the amount of pollution that wood heaters, which will be manufactured and sold in the future, can emit. These standards, which were last updated in 1988, reflect the significantly improved technology that is now available to make a range of models cleaner burning and more efficient. The final rule will be phased in over a five-year period, giving manufacturers time to adapt their product lines to develop the best next-generation models to meet the new standards. The final rule does not affect current heaters already in use in homes. It also does not replace state or local requirements governing wood heater use.

EPA says wood heaters, which are used around the clock in some areas, can increase particle pollution, sometimes called soot, to levels that pose health concerns. Particle pollution is linked to a wide range of serious health effects, including heart attacks, strokes, and asthma attacks. People with heart, vascular or lung disease, older adults, and children are the most at risk from particle pollution exposure. Smoke from wood heaters also includes volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and other air toxics.

Emissions from new models will be reduced by roughly two-thirds. According to EPA, this improved air quality will provide between $3.4 and $7.6 billion in public health benefits. That figure is based on assuming that for every dollar spent to bring cleaner heaters to market, the American public will see between $74 and $165 in health benefits.

EPA says it conducted extensive public outreach as it developed the proposed rule, seeking input from numerous wood heater manufacturers, state, local and tribal governments, regional air quality agencies, and citizen and environmental groups. The agency also participated in a Small Business Advocacy Review Panel to seek input and advice as it developed the proposed rule.

Based on public comment on the proposal and additional information submitted to the agency, the agency's final standards have been updated from the proposal, including changes to provide manufacturers the time and flexibility to ensure a smooth transition to cleaner heaters. EPA is also updating the final emissions limits to reflect changes the agency made to the emissions test method requirements.

The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set new source performance standards (NSPS) for categories of stationary sources of pollution that cause, or significantly contribute to, air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare. The Agency's final rule updates the 1988 standards for woodstoves and sets the first-ever federal standards for hydronic heaters, wood-fired forced air furnaces (also called warm-air furnaces), pellet stoves, and a previously unregulated type of woodstove called a single burn-rate stove. These standards do not cover fireplaces, fire pits, pizza ovens, barbecues, or chimineas.

EPA received nearly 8,000 comments on the proposed rule and held one public hearing.

For more information, click here. http://www2.epa.gov/residential-wood-heaters

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