"In addition to the local problems caused by widespread biomass burning, two other related issues have not been addressed. First, the amount of monitoring for particulate air pollution is not even close to what is needed. Second, our public health laws are not effective in helping people who are being exposed to biomass smoke by a neighbor. The difference in how sewage system incursion on to neighboring property is addressed is much more clear and reliable than how wood smoke “trespassing” is treated by public officials."
"We support efforts to rewrite and enforce public health laws that protect people from the dangers of wood smoke exposure. As in the area of secondhand tobacco smoke, the right to breathe healthy air is primary. It supersedes any alleged “right” to burn wood."
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Wood Burner
Smoke
Click here for my Power Point Presentation It will take a few minutes to download...please wait |
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To receive my monthly newsletters click here
To
answer your questions about PM2.5 in Wildfires and Prescribed fires
click here
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Please sign my online petition.
**After signing, hit the back button to return to the site.** ***Click here for suggestions to deal with problem residential wood smoke Also, please check the "links" page to see if there is a representative in your area that you can contact before emailing to me. A representative in your own area will have more information about your bylaws than I will have.*** The American Lung Association
There is more information regarding "Residential Wood and Other Biomass Combustion" on page 5 of the "Energy" PDF Also, please visit their "State of the Air" site for even more information.
Air pollution causes between 1,000 and 2,000 premature deaths every year in Utah. Cost-Effective Actions to Cut Black Carbon, Methane and Tropospheric Ozone Spotlighted in New Report Source: United Nations Environment Program
The
Dangers of Wood Smoke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdNaRLWMwoU
I have just found a site that sells an air sampler that can be used to analyse wood smoke PM10 and PM2.5 This unit is a great investment and can be used both indoors and outdoors. Click here for the pdf |
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You must take action NOW if you want to end the horrors of wood smoke emissions (PM2.5), If you do nothing, you and your family will become even more ill, and die prematurely. Now is the time for you to end wood smoke......... please click here for some excellent suggestions. |
Thanks to Dr. Arden Pope for his presentation on the "Health Effects of Particulate Matter Air Pollution" Click here for the slide presentation |
| “Wood Smoke vs. Cigarette Smoke. Although many people associate tobacco smoke with certain health risks, research indicates that second hand wood smoke has potentially even greater ability to damage health. A comparison between tobacco smoke and wood smoke using electron spin resonance revealed quite startling results (Rozenberg 2001, Wood Smoke is More Damaging than Tobacco Smoke). Tobacco smoke causes damage in the body for approximately 30 seconds after it is inhaled. Wood smoke, however, continues to be chemically active and cause damage to cells in the body for up to 20 minutes, or 40 times longer.” |
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Who is Dirty Aviston? Dirty Aviston was raised in Clinton County Illinois; he attended elementary and high school in Clinton County. Dirty Aviston graduated high school half-year early because he had enlisted in the United States Air Force (USAF). When Dirty Aviston’s high school class was graduating high school, he was being sworn-in as a USAF Security Policeman at the age of 17. For the next 23+ years, Dirty Aviston was deployed around the world defending this great country of ours and defending freedom. Little did he know his individual freedom and rights would be violated when he moved back to Clinton County, Illinois.
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Excerpt:
The smoke and the dust from wildfires is unhealthy to breathe.
The effects of smoke range from eye and respiratory tract
irritation to more serious disorders, including reduced lung
function, bronchitis, exacerbation of asthma, and premature
death. Studies have found that fine particles are linked with
increased mortality and aggravation of pre-existing respiratory
and cardiovascular disease (Wildfire Smoke A Guide for Public
Health Officials, Revised July 2008).
Click HERE to listen to a radio interview by Vicki Morell of the Canadian Clean Air Alliance. Click HERE for "The Air We Breathe" video sent by a wood smoke victim. Click HERE for 'The Dangers of Wood Smoke' video. |
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The EPA has written that wood smoke is 12 times more carcinogenic than tobacco smoke.
(The Health Effects of Wood Smoke, Washington State Department of Ecology)
Therefore, it can be assumed that, if you can smell smoke, you are inhaling it. Even limited exposure can be harmful.
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"If you can smell smoke, there is a problem". US EPA, Consumer Information Sheet, "Reducing Air Pollution from Residential Wood Burning", 9-12-2005. "The inhaled particle from one woodstove is equivalent to the particle pollution emitted from 3,000 gas furnaces producing the same amount of heat per unit." |
June 13, 2011 – Arizona wildfires: how they affect your health…
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No Breathing Room ... National Illness Costs of Air Pollution in Canada Click here for the full report Be sure to skim down to page 13 that shows estimates from 2008 that PM2.5 pollution is responsible for the premature deaths of more than 20,000 Canadians.
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Studies have shown that as much as 80% of air pollution measured outside can seep into surrounding homes within an hour.
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The American Lung Association says "Wood smoke is like tobacco smoke. There is no safe level for wood smoke." The Canadian Lung Association says: "Air pollution is a contributing risk factor to developing chronic heart and lung disease and may even result in premature deaths. Health Canada estimates that air pollution causes about 6,000 deaths per year in 8 major Canadian cities. Even those living in rural areas and in cottage country can be affected, too. They may be exposed to pollutants like wood smoke and also breathe in pollutants that get blown by the wind from sources hundreds of kilometers away." The EPA has written that wood smoke is 12 times more carcinogenic than tobacco smoke.
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Mission Statement Our mission is to educate public officials, government and all citizens about wood smoke as a major form of hazardous air pollution that affects our health, use of our property, water, crops, livestock, the environment and climate change. We urge citizens everywhere to press for legislative changes to call wood smoke a public nuisance under state health codes and to ban all wood burning." "Breathing wood smoke is smoking" Don't miss the Power Point Presentation by the B.C. Director Click Here |
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Wood smoke causes cancer. Click here for the Wood Smoke and Cancer pdf from the Washington State Department of Ecology Thank you Dr Robinson of the Armidale Air Quality Group for this information! |
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FRESH AIR CALGARY Currently, many people are suffering due to outdoor burning. The noxious stench is infiltrating their homes and properties… a very dangerous way to have to live when a ban on outdoor burning would end their misery. No matter what they try, the smoke gets into their homes. The toxin-laden particles cannot be kept out. If you live in Alberta, please email to FreshAirCalgary@shaw.ca |
Wood Smoke Pollution & Your Health
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaxSgglRpLY
| For those that think that
doctors are lax in speaking out on the wood smoke issue and
its harmful effects on our health and environment, here are
3 prominent doctors who tell it like it is. Please pass this on to your municipalities and governmental agencies, many of which have no idea of the seriousness of living next to someone who burns and releases the toxins into our air.
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Click here to read the EHHI (Environment & Human Health Inc.) Report on Outdoor Wood Furnaces
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| The Ontario Municipal Act, 2001 authorizes municipalities to pass by-laws regarding the economic, social and environmental well-being of the municipality, health and safety of the residents and protection of people as well as properties including activities that could cause public nuisance. Section 125 of the Act provides that a municipality may regulate heating and cooking appliances. 26 Such appliances may include outdoor boilers and chimeneas as well as indoor wood stoves, fireplaces and chimneys. A local municipality may regulate a) the use and installation of heating and cooking appliances, and b) the storage of fuel for use in heating and cooking appliances, etc. In addition, a municipality has the power to enter on land at any reasonable time for the purpose of carrying out an inspection to determine whether or not by-laws or orders are being complied with. Ontario's Environmental Protection Act (EPA) Every person is responsible for complying with the provisions of the EPA. No person shall create a discharge of any air contaminants that may cause adverse health or environmental effect which is a prosecutable offence under the Act. Any adverse effects, including those caused by the burning of waste, could result in compliance and enforcement action being taken by the Ministry of the Environment. In addition, despite exemption of certain facilities or establishments from Certificate of Approval requirements under the Act such sites must comply with the applicable air standards set out in Ontario Regulation 419/05: Air Pollution - Local Air Quality.
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UTAH - bans OWBs in populated counties that do not meet federal air quality standards. Golden, British Columbia - passed a bylaw prohibiting the installation of any solid fuel burning appliance (Bylaw # 1150) Hampstead, QUEBEC - banned all new installations of wood stoves and ordered existing wood stoves to be removed within 7 years. (Bylaw # 729-2) Montreal, QUEBEC (Apr. 29/2009) - no further installation of any wood burning stoves or fireplaces Suffolk, NEW JERSEY - bans all OWBs within 1000 feet of another house Stillwater, MINNESOTA - bans all wood burning or boiling stoves - existing and future (March 11, 2010) Pleasant Prairie, WISCONSIN - bans all new outdoor wood furnaces and wood boilers Savage City, MINNESOTA - prohibits outdoor wood boilers (OWBs) Burnsville, MINNESOTA - banned OWBs December 2008 New Prague, MINNESOTA - total ban on OWBs Grand Forks, BRITISH COLUMBIA - The bylaw states that “no person shall create a nuisance using a wood burning appliance in such a way as to disturb the health and comfort of two or more persons from separate dwellings.” Enforcement would be complaint driven and fines could be up to $500. Houston, BRITISH COLUMBIA - requires uncertified appliances to be removed by 2010 St. Thomas, ONTARIO - prohibits the use of outdoor fireplaces including wood boilers and chimeneas Sarnia, ONTARIO - has set stringent restrictions on setback distances for outdoor boiler operations from the nearest dwellings and property lines Nation, ONTARIO - outdoor wood boiler specifications have been set which include minimum lot sizes, distance from property lines and distances from property buildings Elmira, NEW YORK - Ban on smoke and other deleterious fumes that cross property lines onto the property of another. Fines are $250 for a second offence or a jail term. Best ban in the country! Marion, IOWA -prohibits new outdoor wood-burning boilers within city limits and to regulate existing setups. All existing boilers must be registered by Jan. 1; have smokestacks two feet higher than any residential roof within 300 feet of the system; and be removed when the property changes hands. CONNECTICUT - Avon, Granby, Tolland, Hebron, Woodbridge, South Windsor, Portland, Norfolk, Ridgefield, Haddam, Cheshire, West Hartford, Hamden, Rocky Hill, Simsbury, North Haven and New Fairfield – 17 towns have banned outdoor wood furnaces in order to protect the health and property values of their citizens.
Inver Grove Heights, MINNESOTA
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Nov. 15, 2010 - council bans all OWBs. All OWBs must be removed from
properties by Oct. 01, 2011. The STATE of WASHINGTON has laws to address neighbor's wood smoke. According to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, “generating excessive smoke is not only unneighborly, it’s illegal. Under state regulations, smoke from a person’s chimney cannot exceed 20 percent opacity for six consecutive minutes. Greater smoke densities could result in fines from air pollution control officials. It is always illegal to smoke out your neighbor. Everyone has a right to breathe clean air. If smoke from your fire is affecting your neighbors, it is considered a nuisance and subject to enforcement action.” Salmon Arm, BRITISH COLUMBIA - No person shall install an Outdoor Solid-Fuel Combustion Appliance in or about any premises. Huron East, ONTARIO - Bylaw passed - all new OWB's to have minimum setback allowances and lot sizes. A great improvement over what they had before – nothing. Nappanee - Bans Outdoor Wood Furnaces Twinsburg, OHIO - Council voted 7-0 in favor of adding outdoor wood-burning furnaces or boilers to a list of items that are restricted.Marion County, INDIANA – OWBs ban. Evansville, INDIANA – OWB ban. Long Beach, INDIANA – OWB ban. City of LaPorte, INDIANA – OWB ban. Michigan City, INDIANA – OWB ban.
Milford, DELAWARE – All outdoor wood-burning
furnaces are banned as of Aug 31st and any existing ones have
to be removed within 3 months.
Lakewood, IOWA - Bans all new OWBs and is regulating the 3 existing ones. Butler, INDIANA - Bans OWBs within city limits. Waterloo, ONTARIO - No person shall set or maintain an open air fire using solid fuel. Hamilton, ONTARIO - No person shall conduct an open air in a manner that creates a nuisance.... Ipswich, MASSACHEUSETS - OWB must be 500' from any building, stack 2' higher that any roof structure, permanent stack 18' minimum height. Caledonia, WISCONSIN - Bans all new OWB installations except in agricultural areas.
Port
Alberni, BRITISH COLUMBIA
–
(2012)
All newly
installed wood burning appliances must be EPA listed. Beginning in 2017
(5 years from now) all existing wood burning appliances must be EPA
listed. Prohibition of unpermitted fuels. $200 fine for non-compliance,
per violation. Inspectors have the right to enter to determine
compliance with bylaw. Grand Forks, BRITISH COLUMBIA - No person shall create a nuisance using a wood burning appliance...
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The zoning regulations from the town of Tolland, CT
An excellent example of how a town banned Outdoor Wood Furnaces (OWFs), also known as Outdoor Wood Boilers (OWBs). This provides an example to a Planning and Zoning Commission on how to ban OWFs in their town. ZONING REGULATIONS TOWN OF TOLLAND Chapter 170 page 96 CODE of the TOWN OF TOLLAND STATE OF CONNECTICUT Zoning Regulations Rev. July 20, 2009 ARTICLE XIV Accessory Uses and Structures Section 170-84. General Requirements. Accessory uses and structures shall be subject to the following conditions: A. Establishment of accessory uses. 1. Accessory buildings, structures and uses shall be located on the same lot as the principal building, structure or use to which they are accessory. 2. Accessory buildings, structures and uses shall not be located on a lot without the prior establishment of a permitted principal use, nor shall any new lot be created that has an accessory building, structure or use without a principal use. B. Prohibited Accessory Uses and Structures. The Commission feels that, by their very nature, the following uses and structures cannot be regulated in such a fashion as to protect the Health, Safety and Welfare of the general public and are prohibited in all zones. Outdoor Wood Burning Furnaces, as defined by P.A. 05-227
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Source: Greater Wellington Regional
Council |
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THE ONLY WISE BURNING IS NO BURNING Much has been published by wood burning appliance makers that might lead one to believe that wood burning is safe. Not so! There is no such thing as 'good' smoke. All smoke carries particulate matter that can be drawn deep into the lungs to cause severe damage. If you can smell smoke then you are inhaling these particulates and the damage has begun. You cannot escape the wood smoke that makes its way into your home through ventilation systems and even minute spaces in doors and windows. No air cleaner will clear the air and make it safe to breathe. The only answer is for all of you to contact your municipal and governmental leaders and demand that they create bylaws regarding wood burning in residential areas. You might want to tell them that, if they have banned cigarette smoking in public areas, why are you forced to breathe wood smoke in your own home and property? We all need to work on this important issue and we need to do it now!
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Rolf Czeskleba-Dupont of Denmark has written a research report, which was
edited last November at a transnational publisher on "Toxic emissions and
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Ontario Residents Click here for a copy of the mpac (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) Reassessment Request for Reconsideration Form for Ontario. Maybe if more of us applied for tax reductions because of nuisance, local and provincial governments would take notice!
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Click here for the Model Municipal Bylaw from Environment Canada |
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(French & English) A hard-working organization, registered in Quebec, that fights solely for ending wood smoke. |
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A heart-breaking story and video of a family subjected to wood smoke
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Airborne attack sparks lawsuit ...
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ead the article by Chris Halliday on the 'Ontario Cases' page.Launceston City Council and Tasmanian State protester (Rod Farmer) is out to shame the government in order to enforce regulations regarding wood smoke. Click here to read his blog.
Oakley, California
..To reduce air pollution, wood-burning fireplaces in homes and gas-burning fireplaces or pits in recreation areas will not be allowed, and efficient heating, ventilation and appliances as well as window and wall insulation will be required.
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Residents against wood smoke emission particulates
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"Wood smoke is chemically active in the body 40 times longer than tobacco smoke! The particles are smaller than red blood cells. They transport toxic gases, bacteria and viruses into the lung and directly into the bloodstream. Wood smoke is 12 times more likely to cause cancer than the same amount of tobacco smoke." ( William Pryor, PhD, University of Louisiana )
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Newspaper article of April 16, 2008
Jim & Shirley Brandie v Salvatore DeSantis & Marina Estrella
**You will find the wood in the above photo was put in the barn in 2006, post-injunction. Photos are on the 2006 page.**
Article from United Press International
Residential wood burning releases harmful and toxic pollutants into the air we breathe. These pollutants are so tiny they are emitted both indoors and outdoors...and seep into our homes through cracks, ventilation systems and even around closed doors and windows. Breathing in wood smoke in any quantity is not good for anyone. Why should we be subjected to any residential wood burning smoke and odour in our homes, yards and neighborhoods...especially against our will.
Dioxins and furans are some of the most toxic chemicals known to science. ...
The EPA report confirmed that dioxin is a cancer hazard to people. When you burn wood you produce dioxin. A recent Lawrence Livermore study found that while wood burning was the third largest source of dioxin in many cities.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons are produced in abundance when you burn wood.
"They are primarily formed by incomplete combustion
of carbon-containing fuels such as wood, coal,
diesel, fat, or tobacco. Tar also contains PAHs.
Since human civilization relies so heavily on
combustion, PAHs are inevitably linked to our energy
production. In this sense, PAH can be thought of as
marker molecules as their abundance can be directly
proportional to combustion processes in the region
and therefore directly related to air quality.
Different types of combustion yield different
distributions of PAHs."� Wikipedia�
In February of 1995 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission received a report on indoor carcinogenic pollutant emissions from EPA Phase II Wood Stoves: Normalizing for the rate of wood consumption during each test, the average Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) source strength is 32 ng/kg of wood burned. The average Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) source strength is 360 ng/kg of wood. This is the exposure on average to the user.
The neighbor, of course,
gets the brunt of wood smoke pollution. (NISTIR
5575) U.S. Department of Commerce.
The EPA estimates that the lifetime cancer risk from wood stove smoke is twelve times greater than that from an equal volume of second hand tobacco smoke. (The Health Effects of Wood Smoke, Washington State Department of Ecology)
"Burning two cords of wood produces the same amount of mutagenic particles as: Driving 13 gasoline powered cars 10,000 miles each at 20 miles/gallon. These figures indicate that the worst contribution that an individual is likely to make to the mutagenicity of the air is using a wood stove for heating, followed by driving a diesel car." ( Dr. Joellen Lewtas, Contribution of Source Emissions of the Mutagenicity of Ambient Urban Air Particles, U.S. EPA, #91-131.6, 1991 )
***Please note: I take no responsibility for articles sent for publication. It is of utmost importance that one double-checks authenticity of anything sent to me for publication on this web site. Please double-check your data and any hyperlinks attached to the article submitted.***
Last updated: May 06, 2013
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