Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association Searches
January 4, 2007
Outdoor Furnace Health Concerns
Respected Independent Analysis Deflates Claims of Serious Health Risks Associated
with Outdoor Wood Furnaces; Lifetime cancer risk overestimated 10,000-fold
PR Newswire
January 3, 2006
Central Boiler
Outdoor Furnace Bans
Outdoor furnace decision delayed
The Mining Journal (Marquette, MI)
January 3, 2006
Scott Swanson
Local governments begin regulating burning
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette from IndianaLawBlog.com
January 4, 2006
Wood Burning Bans
Health, no burn air quality alerts issued
The Salt Lake Tribune
January 2, 2007
Judy Fahys
Burning Banned In Stanislaus Today
Modesto Bee (Modesto, CA)
January 3, 2007
Respected Independent Analysis Deflates Claims of Serious Health Risks Associated
with Outdoor Wood Furnaces; Lifetime cancer risk overestimated 10,000-fold
PR Newswire
January 3, 2006
Central Boiler
GREENBUSH, Minn., Jan. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- A soon-to-be-published report that
criticizes an increasingly popular home heating alternative is so riddled with inaccuracies
and scientific flaws that it needs complete, in-depth revision, and should not be published
in its current form, according to a respected independent review made public today.
The article in question -- accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of the journal
"Human and Ecological Risk Assessment" -- makes assertions about health risks
associated with outdoor wood furnaces that are blatantly false, woefully inaccurate and
seriously misleading, according to a review by Gradient Corporation, a respected
independent environmental health consulting firm.
"Due to the magnitude of these errors in both fact and scientific judgment, we have
initiated discussions with the journal editors to point out why the manuscript should not
be published as it is currently written," says Christopher M. Long, Sc.D., senior
environmental health scientist for Gradient.
"Given the serious nature of the errors and methodological flaws we have identified ...
and scientifically unsupported assumptions, it is clear that a careful re-review is needed,"
says Gradient's Dr. Long.
According to Gradient, the report by Dr. David Brown and his co-authors offers
conclusions that dramatically inflate lifetime cancer risk as much as 10,000-fold, a
marked overstatement of potential health risks.
The Brown report's dramatically overestimated conclusions about cancer and other health
risks associated with outdoor wood furnaces have been picked up in recent weeks in
numerous publications across the U.S., including in The New York Times.
"Clearly erroneous misstatements and major methodological flaws by Brown et al raise
such large uncertainties that undermine the entire cancer risk assessment -- and any
conclusions that can be drawn from it," Dr. Long says.
"Actual cancer risks computed by Brown et al are on the order of 100 times less than
those described in their own conclusions," says Dr. Long. "The fact that erroneous
misstatements are in the conclusions section is especially important given that they have
been highlighted by both the press and NESCAUM (Northeast States for Coordinated Air
Use Management) as a key finding of the Brown et al analysis."
According to numerous federal, state and local policy makers, NESCAUM has broadly
distributed these inaccurate findings across the country, including to the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). And in doing so, NESCAUM has
misrepresented that Dr. Brown is an independent scientist, rather than a member of
NESCAUM staff.
"It's unfortunate that what should be an honest discussion about the values and accurate
impacts of outdoor wood furnaces, including responsible regulation, is being clouded by
shoddy research and unfounded accusations," says Rodney Tollefson, vice president of
Central Boiler, the leading manufacturer of outdoor wood furnaces. Central Boiler
requested Gradient's independent review of the Brown report.
When tested by the US EPA, Central Boiler's outdoor wood furnace was found to have
similar emissions as wood stoves.
Gradient also found:
* "The corrected Brown et al methodology yields an actual calculated
cancer risk of approximately 1 in 10 million for lifetime average
concentrations of 6 micrograms per cubic meter," according to Dr. Long,
referring to excess cancer lifetime risks associated with a 7-month
exposure to 6 micrograms per cubic meter wood smoke particulate matter
each year for 30 years. This is far less than is considered significant
by the federal and state agencies charged with protection of public
health and the environment, including the US EPA.
* "Only buried in a footnote is it acknowledged that the conclusions made
by Brown et al are based on only 4.3 hours of measured air quality. And
nowhere is it clearly acknowledged the extremely limited nature of the
dataset collected: measurements made over two days at just one
residential property, for one boiler," Dr. Long said.
* The Brown et al paper relied on 4.3 hours of measured air quality as an
estimate of chronic lifetime exposure (based on a report by Philip
Johnson, a NESCAUM staff member). Yet, Johnston stated in his own
report: "this pilot study was not intended to quantify 24-hour or
longer-term average exposures."
The number of wood heating appliances is increasing as more Americans choose
renewable energy solutions to heat their homes. Currently there are an estimated 200,000
outdoor wood furnaces operating in the U.S., primarily in rural areas. The issue of
regulation has come to light as more policy makers become aware of what an outdoor
furnace is, and that there are no current regulations in place.
"When properly sited, installed and operated -- in accordance with manufacturer's best
use practices -- outdoor wood furnaces offer a safe, economical, environmentally
responsible alternative to fossil fuels and foreign oil," Tollefson said.
Central Boiler is working closely with the EPA on testing standards and with state and
local governments on the adoption of appropriate outdoor wood furnace regulations.
"Central Boiler supports strict, responsible regulations that prevent and/or correct misuse
of outdoor wood furnaces. We clearly tell our customers that they can burn only wood
and that they need to install a chimney that is the proper height," Tollefson said.
Central Boiler's new generation furnace, which will be available in spring 2007, will meet
the anticipated new EPA emission guidelines expected to be announced this month,
Tollefson said. These standards are more stringent than those enforced for wood stoves.
"It is in our best interest, and the interest of Americans who want to heat with a safe,
clean, renewable energy, to prevent the misuse of a product that when properly sited and
operated is an economical, environmentally responsible heating alternative," Tollefson
said.
Central Boiler is the leading manufacturer of outdoor wood furnaces, offering a variety of
heating-related products and accessories. Central Boiler's Classic was the first outdoor
wood furnace to be UL and CSA certified and is available from authorized dealers
throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company is located in Greenbush, Minnesota.
CONTACT: Ruth Fein Wallens of Eric Mower and Associates,
+1-518-618-1502, rwallens@mower.com , for Central Boiler
SOURCE Central Boiler
Outdoor furnace decision delayed
The Mining Journal (Marquette, MI)
January 3, 2006
Scott Swanson
MARQUETTE — The Marquette Township Board on Tuesday delayed a decision on an
ordinance regulating outdoor furnaces and open burning.
However, the ordinance will likely be approved at the board’s next meeting, Supervisor
Ray Adamini said. Concerned residents, the township’s fire marshall and board members
will get together over the next few weeks to hammer out the language, he said.
“There’s just a couple of words we need to get changed,” Adamini said. “Just a few
minute things.”
According to Adamini, the major sticking point was the grandfathering of residents who
already have an outdoor furnace and who believe they should not be required to get a
permit for their systems. Other residents raised concerns about the lot size requirement,
which is proposed at 3 acres.
The proposed ordinance also outlines the following requirements:
≤ The furnaces can only be installed in areas zoned rural residential, scenic resource
districts and resource production.
≤ Only firewood and untreated lumber may be burned.
≤ The furnace must be set back not less than 200 feet from the nearest lot line.
≤ The furnace must have an insulated chimney that extends at least 15 feet above the
ground. If there are any residences between 200 and 500 feet of the furnace, the chimney
must extend at least as high as the roofs of the residences.
≤ Furnaces can only be operated between Sept. 1 and May 31.
The township’s next meeting is Jan. 16. If the ordinance is approved, a notice will be
printed in The Mining Journal. The ordinance would go into effect 30 days after the
notice is printed.
Local governments begin regulating burning
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette from IndianaLawBlog.com
January 4, 2006
Regulation of outdoor wood burning boilers/furnaces appears to be getting kicked back
and forth between different levels of government. Recall that last year IDEM published a
request for public comments on the possibility of and need for imposing regulation of
some sort on outdoor wood-fired boilers, as a result of a number of complaints received.
However, after receiving some vocal protests, IDEM did not proceed with the
rulemaking, but put it on hold “until the EPA acts.”
Meanwhile, many local governmental entities, including Batesville and Evansville, were
receiving local complaints about the effect of the unregulated smoke, and beginning
efforts to enact local ordinances. One that the ILB has followed has been in Northwest
Indiana.
At the same time, U.S. EPA, which has not acted, has recently begun giving indications
that it may act, albeit very slowly.
– Indiana Law Blog
Health, no burn air quality alerts issued
The Salt Lake Tribune
January 2, 2007
Judy Fahys
Posted: 11:35 AM- Air-quality officials have issued health advisories in Salt Lake, Davis,
Weber and Utah counties because of fine-particle air pollution. They also have declared
Tuesday a "red" or mandatory no coal- and wood-burning day in those counties.
The pollution alerts are being triggered at lower levels of pollution, the state's air-quality
Web page explains. Tougher federal standards went into effect last month, so the agency
has lowered its own thresholds for "yellow" and "red" alerts for wood- and coal-burning
stoves.
The state Web page also notes that cars are the biggest source of fine-particle pollution,
so officials urge people to drive less on the red no-burn days.
The health advisory means sensitive people - the young, the old and people with heart or
lung problems - should avoid prolonged outdoor activities.
Pollution levels are expected to build until late Thursday, when a storm system is
expected to sweep through northern Utah and help clear the air.--
Burning Banned In Stanislaus Today
Modesto Bee (Modesto, CA)
January 3, 2007
Lighting fireplaces is banned today in Stanislaus County. The San Joaquin Valley Air
Pollution Control District predicts unhealthy air in the county. That means wood-burning
fireplaces, fireplace inserts, heating stoves and pellet stoves cannot be used unless they
are the only means of heating a house. Burning is permitted in San Joaquin and Merced
counties, though district officials discourage it.