Air quality effects of residential wood combustion

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5990884

Cannon, J A

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), Journal Name: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 34:9; ISSN JPCAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560306 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
AGE GROUPS
AIR POLLUTION
APPLIANCES
CARCINOGENESIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHILDREN
COLLOIDS
COMBUSTION
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
EDUCATION
ELDERLY PEOPLE
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HUMAN POPULATIONS
MINORITY GROUPS
MONITORING
MONTANA
MUTAGENESIS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDATION
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
PATHOGENESIS
POLLUTION
POPULATIONS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SMOKES
SOLS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WOOD BURNING APPLIANCES