Air quality effects of residential wood combustion
In the mid 1970s the air quality in Missoula, Montana began to deteriorate due to pollution from wood-burning stoves. By 1980, 12,000 households were heating their homes with wood to some degree. Consequently, particulate concentrations rose sharply, with concentrations of over 500 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/ on many days. Because of health concerns, the Montana Department of Health and Environmental Sciences carried out an air pollution study. According to the data studied, airborne particulates appeared to be impairing the pulmonary function of children and older individuals with obstructive pulmonary disease. The correlation between human health effects and wood stove emissions was even more serious because of the size of the particulates; i.e., less than ten microns in diameter. A number of communities across the country have instituted voluntary and/or mandatory restrictions on local wood-burning. EPA has been involved in a number of activities that support the efforts of any community that thinks it has a potential air quality problem caused by residential wood combustion. The agency has also funded research on mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of wood smoke emission on mamallian cells and rodents.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC
- OSTI ID:
- 5990884
- Journal Information:
- J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Vol. 34:9
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
SMOKES
HEALTH HAZARDS
WOOD BURNING APPLIANCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
AIR POLLUTION
CARCINOGENESIS
CHILDREN
COMBUSTION
EDUCATION
ELDERLY PEOPLE
MONITORING
MONTANA
MUTAGENESIS
PARTICULATES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
US EPA
AEROSOLS
AGE GROUPS
APPLIANCES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
HAZARDS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
MINORITY GROUPS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDATION
PARTICLES
PATHOGENESIS
POLLUTION
POPULATIONS
RESIDUES
SOLS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560306 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)