FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2015
February 4, 2015
EPA Finalizes Updates to Air Standards for Future Wood Heaters
Phased-in updates will ensure a smooth transition to cleaner and more efficient wood heaters
WASHINGTON – The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing 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.
Today’s final rule will provide
important health benefits to communities across the country and 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 these new standards.
The final rule does not affect current heaters already in use in homes today.
It also does not replace state or local requirements governing wood heater use.
Instead, it ensures that consumers buying wood heaters anywhere in the United
States in the future will be able to choose from cleaner-burning models.
Wood heaters, which are used
around the clock in some areas, can increase particle pollution, sometimes
called soot to levels that pose serious 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 air toxics. EPA’s
updated standards will build on the work that states and local communities have
done to improve air quality in these communities and are based on significant
improvements in technology.
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. Consumers
purchasing new models will also benefit from efficiency improvements, which
means they will use less wood to heat their homes. Consumers can play an
important role in cutting pollution by following the guidelines in their
owner’s manuals and following best burning
practices available on EPA’s website.
EPA 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 make a number of important updates from
the proposal including changes to provide manufacturers the time and
flexibility they need 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 based on input received during the
comment period.
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 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 announced today 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.
EPA received nearly 8,000 comments on the proposed rule and held one public hearing.
More information: http://www2.epa.gov/residential-wood-heaters