Current and projected impacts of residential wood combustion on Pacific Northwest air quality
The use of wood as a residential space heating fuel has increased significantly in the Pacific Northwest in recent years. Trends reflected in wood stove sales, firewood use, air quality measurements, and emission inventory data all collectively point toward a problem of growing concern to those responsible for protecting our air resources. In response to increasing local and state regulatory agency concern, EPA Region X commissioned a three-year, multifaceted study of the residential wood combustion (RWC) issue. This paper describes the technical design of the ambient air quality impact analysis phase of the study and the methodology employed to develop projections of likely future impacts in Portland, Spokane, Seattle, and Boise, as well as associated air resource management implications. Other objectives included (a) determination of the ambient concentration of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) compounds associated with RWC emissions, (b) validation of RWC impacts estimated by chemical mass balance (CMB) methods with independent radiocarbon measurements and (c) development of a data base upon which future projections of RWC impacts can be based given fuel use trend information. 11 references.
- Research Organization:
- NEA, Inc., Beaverton, OR
- OSTI ID:
- 7099396
- Journal Information:
- J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Vol. 34:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Residential Wood Combustion Study. Task 1. Ambient air quality impact analysis. Final report
Residential Wood Combustion Study. Task 2A. Current and projected air quality impacts. Final report
Related Subjects
09 BIOMASS FUELS
AIR QUALITY
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
MONITORING
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
WOOD FUELS
COMBUSTION
DATA ACQUISITION
FEDERAL REGION X
MASS BALANCE
AROMATICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
090400 - Solid Waste & Wood Fuels- (-1989)