Wood burners are a common source of nostalgia—and particle emissions that wreak havoc on public health. To improve air quality and prevent asthma, heart attacks, and more, the EPA has passed its first rule change for wood burning heaters since 1988.
"The Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward with a new rule that will limit the amount of pollution from household wood heaters," reports Tim Devaney.
"The EPA rules target newly-constructed wood heaters, but do not apply to products like fireplaces, fire pits, pizza ovens, or barbecues, the agency said."
The standards were last updated in 1988, so the EPA claims that technological advancements allow cleaner, more efficient wood heaters. According to an EPA press release announcing the new rules, "[emissions] from new models will be reduced by roughly two-thirds, improving air quality and providing between $3.4 and $7.6 billion in public health benefits. This means that for every dollar spent to bring cleaner heaters to market, the American public will see between $74 and $165 in health benefits."
James Bruggers also reports on the new rule for The Courier-Journal, focusing more on the costs of the new rules to manufacturers. According to Bruggers, the regulations will cost manufacturers $46 million—expenses expected to be passed on to consumers.
FULL STORY: EPA pollution rules target wood heaters
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