# Presentation: 001617

## EPA’s Wood Smoke Reduction Partnership Programs

**EPA’s Wood Smoke Reduction Partnership Programs**

**Amanda Aldridge**
**U.S. EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards**
**http://www.epa.gov/woodstoves**

## Why do we care about wood smoke?

**Why do we care about ****wood smoke?**

- Benzene
- Toluene
- Aldehyde gases
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
- Dioxin
- Particle Matter
-  or fine particles (PM2.5)

**Notes:**
This is one of our biggest challenges, people do not associated wood smoke as particularly harmful.

## Wood Smoke Affects Health and Visibility

**Wood Smoke Affects Health and Visibility**

**A small community in Washington state ****That’s not fog, it’s wood smoke**

**Notes:**
From the picture you’ll notice there’s no fog over the river.

## Sources of Residential Wood Smoke:

**Sources of Residential ****Wood Smoke:**

- Wood Stoves
- Fireplaces
- Outdoor Hydronic Heaters
-   (also known as Wood Boilers)

**Notes:**
ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials

## Over 45 Million Wood Burning Appliances in the U.S.

**Over 45 Million Wood Burning Appliances in the U.S.**

- 35 million fireplaces
- 10 million wood stoves
- 75% are old and inefficient stoves built before EPA’s 1990 regulation
- 100,000 outdoor hydronic heaters in use

**Notes:**
Estimates vary, but we believe there are more than 100,000 currently in use. Most are in the Northeast and upper Midwest. NESCAUM estimates that more than 155,000 units have been sold since 1990. And New York State estimates about 77,500 have been sold since 1999 nationwide

ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials

## National PM2.5 Emissions from Residential Wood Smoke

**National PM2.5 Emissions ****from Residential Wood Smoke**

|   SOURCE |   Tons per year PM2.5(direct) |
| --- | --- |
|   Woodstoves  |     336,000 |
|   Fireplaces |      84,000 |
|   Outdoor Hydronic Heaters |     250,000 (NESCAUM) |

- Source:  NEI and NESCAUM

**Notes:**
ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials

Non-road Diesel	174,000
Highway Diesel	124,000

## Who’s affected by wood smoke?

**Who’s affected by wood smoke?**

- Everyone, especially children and older adults
- People with existing diseases such as:
- Coronary artery disease
- Heart failure
- Asthma
- Chronic bronchitis and emphysema

## Wood Stove Changeout Results of the Libby, Montana In-Home PM2.5 Studies

**Wood Stove Changeout Results of the Libby, Montana In-Home PM****2.5**** Studies**

- Tony J. Ward, Ph.D.
- The University of Montana
- Presented: August 2007
- Publish: Summer 2008

## Libby Wood Stove Changeout and Sampling Program: 2006-2007

**Libby Wood Stove Changeout and Sampling Program: 2006-2007**

- Goal: Evaluate the impact of wood stove changeouts on residential indoor PM2.5
- This is significant because we spend the majority of our time indoors.
- Numerous studies link PM2.5 exposure to a variety of problems, including aggravated asthma, irregular heartbeat, and premature death in people with heart or lung disease.

## Residential PM2.5 Sampling Program

**Residential PM****2.5**** Sampling Program**

- 24-hour sampling period before and after changeout in 16 homes
- Leland Sampler / Personal Environmental Monitor (PEM) with a 37-mm quartz filter:
- Organic Carbon / Elemental Carbon
- Chemical markers of wood smoke
- DustTrak measured continuous PM2.5

**Notes:**
Levoglucosan is a tracer for biomass burning sources in atmospheric aerosol particles 

## Residential Sampling Equipment

## Libby Wood Stove ChangeoutPM2.5 Mass Results

**Libby Wood Stove Changeout****PM****2.5**** ****Mass**** Results**

- Pre-changeout average PM2.5 concentrations within 21 homes:  53.4 μg/m3
- Post-changeout average PM2.5 concentrations within 16 homes:  15.0 μg/m3

## Results

**Results**

- The average reduction in indoor PM2.5 as a result of wood stove changeouts within 16 homes:
-                         72%

**Notes:**
Levoglucosan is used to estimate wood smoke mass concentrations.  It does not include cigarette smoke or cooking.

## EPA’s Voluntary Programs  to Reduce Wood Smoke

**EPA’s Voluntary Programs  to Reduce Wood Smoke**

- Outdoor Hydronic Heaters
- Helped States develop Model Rule
- Partnership with industry to bring cleaner units to market
- Fireplaces
- Consensus ASTM Test Method complete
- Working on consensus emission qualifying level and SIP Guidance
- Great American Wood Stove Changeout
- Partnership program to replace inefficient wood stoves with cleaner burning technologies

**Notes:**
ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials

## What is The Great American Wood Stove Changeout?

**What is The Great American Wood Stove Changeout?**

- A voluntary effort to encourage people to upgrade their inefficient wood stoves to cleaner-burning technologies.

## Old and Inefficient Wood Stoves built before 1990

**Old and Inefficient Wood Stoves built before 1990**

**Notes:**
Ah, the sweet smell of wood smoke” - but what makes it so sweet?
CO, benzene, toluene, dioxin and  PM

Woodstoves and fireplaces emit more pollution than all of the:
US petroleum refineries
Cement manufactures
Pulp and paper plants combined.

~80% from woodstoves
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Fine particle pollution (PM2.5) - ~6 %  (420,000 tons) of total PM2.5 

Wood smoke is emitted in our neighbourhoods, low to the ground, during the winter when air inversions can prevent dispersion of pollution.  

## EPA-Certified Woodstoves (after 1990)

- Slide from Wood Heat Organization Inc

**EPA-Certified Woodstoves (after 1990)**

**Notes:**
EPA Certified stoves, sold after 1990

70 % less smoke

For every 20 stoves changed out you get a ton of PM 2.5

~ 50% more energy efficient, use 1/3 less wood 

Provide secondary combustion, air inside fire box allow for cleaner burn

Cost is $2500

## How does a Wood Stove Changeout benefit the consumer?

**How does a Wood Stove Changeout benefit the consumer?**

**Cleaner Burning Technologies:**
- Are 50% more energy efficient
- Use less fuel
- Pollute less – 70% less PM2.5 indoors and outdoors
- Cut creosote buildup in chimneys, reducing fire risk
- Save money and require less work

## How do I get started?

**How do I get started?**

**Identify potential partners**
- local elected officials, non-profits, industry
**Identify sources of funding**
- in-store discounts, supplemental environmental projects (SEPs), low-interest loans, local utility companies, grants, rebates
**Develop a project plan**
- determine staff, timing, resources and set goals

## How can EPA help?

**How can EPA help?**

- Wood Stove Changeout “How To” Guide
- Example brochures, posters, fact sheets, video footage, case studies
- Existing Partnerships: hearth industry, American Lung Association, state and local organizations
- Wood Stove Changeout state implementation plan (SIP) credit guidance
- Suggestions for securing funds: grants, industry rebates, SEPs
- Technical assistance

## Past and Current Wood Stove Changeout Programs

**Past and Current Wood Stove Changeout Programs**

- CA - Sacramento
- CA - Yolo-Solano
- CA - Butte County
- CO - Delta County
- ID - Pinehurst
- ID – Cache Valley
- ID – Nez Perce Tribe
- MT - Libby
- NM - Questa
- NV - Washoe Co.
- OH - Dayton area
- OH - Marietta
- OR - Oakridge

- PA – Southwest counties
- VA – Christiansburg
- WA – Darrington
- WA – Ferry County
- WA - Yakima
- WA - Bellingham
- WA – Spokane
- WA – Stevens County
- WA – Swinomish Tribe
- WI – Oneida Tribe
- WV - Parkersburg

## Progress To Date, 2005-08

**Progress To Date, 2005-08**

- 25 communities have implemented wood stove changeouts
- $6 million invested nationally
- $800K: EPA grants
- $700K: SEPs
- $4M Public and private partners
- Over 3000 stoves and/or fireplaces changed out
- More than 125 tons of PM reduced/year from changeouts

**Notes:**
The cancer risk from wood stove emissions may be 12 times greater than exposure to an equal amount of cigarette smoke

## Wood Stove ChangeoutsWhat is next?

**Wood Stove Changeouts****What is next?**

- Wood Stove Changeout Innovative Financing
- Partnership with Big Box Stores to Promote Changeouts
- Public-Private Marketing and Outreach Effort with Hearth Industry Leaders and others
- Wood stove & outdoor hydronic heater changeout pilot using innovative financing
- Data to confirm link between wood burning and green house gases emissions

**Notes:**
The cancer risk from wood stove emissions may be 12 times greater than exposure to an equal amount of cigarette smoke

**Notes:**
All available on our Website under our Changeout  “How To” Guide.

As is our SIP credit document for woodstove changeouts.

## Slide 26

**Notes:**
Burn Clean Fact Sheet
Wood smoke emissions can be minimized by using good fuel and burning practices.  We have facts ready for your use.

## Slide 27

**Notes:**
Advertisement for newspapers

## Slide 28

**Notes:**
Banner for media event and retail stores

## A Wood Stove Change-out Program in Spokane, WA

**Lisa Woodard, PIO**
**Spokane Regional ****Clean Air Agency**

## Change-out Program

**-Planning began in Summer ’07****-Program’s public launch: Jan ’08 **** **
**1****st**** Step: Secure funding partners and**
**get retailers on board**
**$50,000 EPA grant for the rebate component**
**$10,000 Avista Corp (utility) grant**
**$10,250 from Retailers (media co-op) ****	**

## Change-out Program

**With $60,000, approx. 125 “rebates” will be provided:**** **
**$400 to change-out to wood/pellet**
**$550 to change-out to natural gas**
**Plus additional retailer discounts of $75-$200**

## Change-out Program

**Partnered with all nine local wood/gas retailers:**** **
**Retailer Participation Packet**		**-agreement form****	****	****-additional discounts form****	****	****-co-op media form**** **

## Change-out Program

**Program Promotion:**	**- 3 week advertising “blitz” tv & radio****	****- Utility billing inserts****	****- News coverage****	****- Articles in utility billing**** ****	****- Flyers/applications at retailers****	****- Web page**

## Change-out Program

**Applicants pre-qualified based on:**
**homeowner in Smoke Control Zone**
**regularly heats w/ non-certified device**
**uses at least 2 cords per season**** **
_**If Qualified:**_** **
**Sent a dated/numbered voucher with a list of participating retailers**

## Change-out Program

**Program Results to Date:**** **
**160 rebate vouchers issued during initial 9-week “application period” **** **
**60-day expiration/follow-up calls**** **
**30% or more(?) of the vouchers issued  won’t be redeemed **

## Change-out Program

**Program Lessons to Date:**
**Timing is important – ****	****-retailer “off season”****	****-application “window”**** **
**Address “Expected Out-of-Pocket Costs” upfront**
**Clearly state program terms & conditions (don’t make exceptions)**** **
**Stay in close communication with your retailers/sales managers**

## Change-out Program

**Benefits to date:**
**Reduced emissions**
**Formed working relationships with wood stove retailers**
**Heightened awareness of wood burning impacts**
**Increased agency visibility/positive news coverage**

## Change-out Program

**Next steps:**
**Survey card to rebate recipients**
**Survey card to “voided” voucher recipients**
**Survey letter to participating retailers**
**Tweak/make plans for next year!**