12/12/02
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Date: 12/12/02 To: Ruth Hill rhill@fresnobee.com From: Jim Buckley Subject: Fireplace Emissions Ruth, I'm impressed. John is often the best source on these matters. I would only point out that even at the extreme 1995 Christmas week the 32% is all wood smoke emissions - not just fireplaces. Of this total, which would include stoves, cook stoves and restaurants, fireplaces would account for a very small percentage.
Best,
From John Crouch: Ruth, Thank you for your question regarding the "30% is woodsmoke number"-- The Valley Air District's staff report on the revisions proposed to Rule 4901 state, on Page 4: According to a memorandum to Evan Shipp from John Watson dated November 28, 2001, the average daily emissions from residential wood burning sources make up a small percentage of the total average daily PM10 emissions.So, although a great deal of attention has been focused on the "about 32 percent" of the PM-10 (particulates) from Christmas week in 1995, that is the extreme example, not the mean.. As you can see, 15% is the number used for the month of December, again in the Dec '95 study. (and this is at the monitoring station on First Street). By comparison, the District also has specific data from Bakersfield on January 14, 1994, (another winter day) which shows that all "vegetative Burning" was only 6%, and Ammonia Nitrate was 52%. (nitrate comes from cars and trucks, and Ammonia comes from animals--especially cows). From our industry's perspective, many of the proposed revisions to this Rule are not particularly new, although I realize that many folks in the SJ valley have ignored the fact that "no-burn nights" have been around for 10-15 yearsÊin winter throughout the western states. The District's proposals will reduce woodsmoke in the major Urban neighborhoods, especially the simple provision that requires that all old woodstoves, or airtight fireplace inserts be removed when homes are sold. The Level I and Level II curtailment programs will 'shave the peaks' off your particulate levels, at least as it relates to woodsmoke (although they will, of course, have no impact onÊNitrates or Dust, the major problems) and are time tested options for communities with woodsmoke issues in the west. The provisions restricting woodburning appliances in new homes are certainly the most questionable portions of the Rule revisions, since the monitors with the most woodsmoke in the Valley are in downtown Fresno, and downtown Bakersfield, in areas with existing, older homes.
If you have other questions about the Hearth Industries position on this rather complex issue, feel free to give me a call. For much more info on woodstove and fireplaces you might want to visit our 'press room' on our website.Ê
John Crouch
Hi. I was wondering if there is any data to counter the Fresno Air District's claim. I would appreciate any information you can give me today. Thanks.
Ruth
-----Original Message-----
Ruth,
The article I mentioned by Renee Taylor in California Builder is on line at http://www.californiahearthsandhomes.org/images/CABuilder.jpg John Crouch, Director of Government Relations for the Hearth Product Association can be reached at 916 536 2390 or "crouchpa@ix.netcom.com".
I couldn't find anything very quickly to counter the claim that fireplaces are responsible for 30% of the air pollution. I think that's just wrong and John Crouch or any EPA representative can probably verify that. Even if 30% of the problem is wood smoke I'll bet it's still mostly smoldering stoves, restaurants and pizza joints and agricultural burning. Be suspicious and question authority.
I see in the website you gave me at http://www.1000friendsoffresno.org/airquality.html that the Fresno Bee is often quoted. My California sources say Fresno has already outlawed fireplaces so I guess the push is on in the whole valley.
You found our California Hearths and Homes website at http://www.californiahearthsandhomes.org/ I think there you will find the BAAQMD model ordinance and our response and our suit against San Jose and Palo Alto.
Fireplace emissions testing is also linked to the CHH site but to save you some clicking the most interesting information are:
http://www.rumford.com/emissions/Tiegsreport.html Paul Tiegs at OMNI explaining the problems in comparing fireplaces and stoves, and
http://www.rumford.com/testRumfordresults.html our Rumford fireplace test results
Our objective is to have a level playing field - to be held to the same standards that other wood-burning appliances, like stoves, are. Maybe Fresno and the valley do have the worst air in the country (although that website looks a little over the top to me) and maybe all wood-burning should be banned. But I would object if only fireplaces were banned without a standard nor opportunity to show objectively by third party testing laboratories that they are as clean-burning as stoves.
Hope this helps,
Jim Buckley
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Jim Buckley |
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