Fredrick Paget on fri 17 nov 06
Why we can not do wood firing in the SF Bay Area of California: Is
this really as bad as she says?
>Subject: Lung Association Urges Residents to Resist Holiday Fires
>
>
>
>
>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>
>Contact: Jenny Bard, 707-527-5864
>
>
>
>SPARE THE AIR WARNINGS FOR BURNING WOOD IN WINTER
>
>
>
> SANTA ROSA, CA, NOVEMBER 15, 2006 -- With holidays approaching, and
>with 1.5 million fireplaces in the Bay Area, many residents will
>light fires and this may be a problem with the new and stricter
>federal air quality standards set to go into effect on Dec. 18. The
>American Lung Association of California is warning residents to
>resist burning wood to help clear the air.
>
> "During winter, we get many calls from people who are severely
>affected by wood smoke in the air. Some of them literally can't
>breathe when they go outside. They feel they are prisoners in their
>home," said Jenny Bard, clean air program director for the American
>Lung Association of California.
>
> Smoke produced by burning wood contains thousands of chemical
>substances, including tiny particles, carbon monoxide, nitrogen
>oxide, benzene, and formaldehyde. Many of the toxins in wood smoke
>are the same as those found in cigarette smoke
>
> Due to overwhelming scientific evidence of harmful effects of even
>low levels of particulate matter (PM), the tiny particles found in
>diesel and wood smoke, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
>adopted new air quality standards that go into effect December 18.
>The smallest particles pose the greatest health threats because
>these microscopic particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs and
>even enter the bloodstream. The new standards will cut by half the
>amount of these particles allowed in the air in a 24-hour period.
>
> Because of concern about wood smoke pollution, 41 cities and eight
>counties in the Bay Area have adopted ordinances regulating the
>installation of wood burning devices. Wood smoke from fireplaces is
>the largest source of PM air pollution in the Bay Area during winter
>months.
>
> "Wood smoke can increase the number and severity of asthma attacks,
>increase the risk of pneumonia, aggravate bronchitis and other lung
>diseases, and reduce the body's ability to fight infections," said
>Michael Martin, MD, an asthma and allergy specialist and volunteer
>of the American Lung Association of California. "Fine particulate
>air pollution, to which wood burning is a big contributor, has also
>been linked to lung cancer, heart attacks and even death."
>
> The American Lung Association of California urges residents to take
>steps to help clear the air of wood smoke.
>
> "We know that some people by necessity must burn wood to heat their
>homes," said Bard. "Our goal is to raise awareness of the dangers of
>wood smoke and let people know what they can do to reduce wood smoke
>pollution."
>
> Older woodstoves that do not comply with EPA certification
>standards are among the biggest culprits in wood smoke and can
>produce up to 60 grams of particulate pollution in one hour, as
>compared to .07 grams for natural gas. While certified wood-burning
>devices do produce less particulate pollution than uncertified ones,
>if not used correctly and properly maintained, these stoves can emit
>levels of particulate pollution comparable to those from uncertified
>devices.
>
> The state Air Resources Board estimates that about 6 million tons,
>or 2.7 million cords of wood, are burned in California each year,
>releasing up to 370 tons of PM10 and 2,100 tons of carbon monoxide.
>
> The greatest buildup of PM air pollution occurs on cold, windless
>winter evenings. When the PM level is predicted to exceed health
>standards, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District will call a
>Spare the Air Tonight advisory and will ask the public to not burn
>wood. For specific tips on how to reduce pollution from wood smoke
>or to advocate for a wood smoke ordinance, community residents can
>call 800.LUNG-USA and will be connected to their local office. For
>information on wood smoke, visit the Bay Area Air Quality Management
>District's website at www.sparetheair.org.
>
>
>
>Tips for Reducing Wood Smoke Pollution
>
> To help reduce pollution from wood smoke, the American Lung
>Association of California and the Bay Area Air Quality Management
>District urge residents to do the following:
>
> 1. Switch to a gas fireplace - the least polluting alternative
>to wood-burning.
>
>2. On cold, clear nights, resist the temptation to light up.
>
> 3. Burn manufactured logs (such as Presto-logs) instead of
>wood. Logs made of compressed sawdust burn about 50 percent cleaner
>than wood. Choose logs that don't use wax binding agents.
>
> 4. If you must burn wood, burn only dry, seasoned wood, and
>start with a small fire using softwoods such as pine and fir. Add
>hardwood logs only after the fire is going.
>
> 5. Never burn garbage, glossy paper or wood that has been
>chemically treated or painted! This will release toxic chemicals
>into the air.
>
> 6. Check your chimney. A properly burning fire should give off
>little or no smoke, except during the first few minutes.
>
> 7. Comply with "Spare the Air" wintertime notices from the Air
>District not to burn wood when pollution levels exceed health
>standards for particulate matter.
>
>
>
>
>
>Jenny Bard
>
>
>
>Director of Communications, Advocacy and Clean Air Programs
>
>American Lung Association of California
>
>115 Talbot Avenue
>
>Santa Rosa, CA 95404
>
>707-527-5864
>
>707-542-6111 fax
>
>www.californialung.org
>
>www.lungusa.org
>
>
>
>
--
Twin Dragon Studio
Mill Valley, CA, USA
Wes Rolley on sat 18 nov 06
>
>
>So no, you can't wood fire in the bay area legally unless you can get a
>permit from the air quality people (there clearly are exceptions since
>I've heard of people with sawdust pellet fueled kilns) . You could try
>building a Kazigama and collect all your neighbor's fireplace ashes if
>you want woodfire effects, or participate in some of the workshops that
>do woodfiring in Napa and Sonoma counties, or even build a Minigama and
>just fire a few pots at a time.
>
>
I have had a couple of exchanges with the Bay Area Air Quality
Management District on the subject. There is no regulation that would
stop your firing a wood kiln per se. There are regulations as to how
much smoke it could produce. In fact, there are some parts of the
environmental regulations that specifically indicate that they do not
apply to kilns used to produce ceramic materials. Of course, the intent
was not to support artisan potters.
The real issue is the amount of smoke produced and there are specific
measurements that must be done in order to secure such a permit. Plans
for the kiln must be submitted to the engineers at the Air Quality
Managerment district. They may have to have an onsite inspection (which
you pay for based on time involved). etc.
While not impossible, I found that my local home ownners assn would be
harder to deal with and gave it up. (1/2 acre lots give generally enough
room if it were not for the smoke. )
Wes
--
Wes Rolley
17211 Quail Court
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408)778-3024
"Happiness is to be fully engaged in the activity that you believe in and, if you are very good at it, well that's a bonus." -- Henry Moore
Russell Sheptak on sat 18 nov 06
The short answer is yes; the air quality in the SF Bay area is
particularly bad, especially in the winter when many people burn wood
to heat their houses. The smoke can hand like a light fog, cutting
visibility in my neighborhood, and show up as soot on the windshield of
cars parked outdoors.
Unfortunately, the technological solutions that allow people to
continue to burn wood require complete replacement of fireplaces and
stoves, not retrofitting existing fireplaces and stoves, so people
don't do it, and as a result, we get more and more restrictions on what
we can do. Its not just fireplaces and stoves; there's already been
discussion about trying to ban or reduce the use of charcoal (both wood
and coal based products) in barbecues as well.
So no, you can't wood fire in the bay area legally unless you can get a
permit from the air quality people (there clearly are exceptions since
I've heard of people with sawdust pellet fueled kilns) . You could try
building a Kazigama and collect all your neighbor's fireplace ashes if
you want woodfire effects, or participate in some of the workshops that
do woodfiring in Napa and Sonoma counties, or even build a Minigama and
just fire a few pots at a time.
rus
----------------------
Rus Sheptak rus@sonic.net
On Nov 17, 2006, at 10:30 PM, Fredrick Paget wrote:
> Why we can not do wood firing in the SF Bay Area of California: Is
> this really as bad as she says?
>
>> Subject: Lung Association Urges Residents to Resist Holiday Fires
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>>
>> Contact: Jenny Bard, 707-527-5864
>>
>>
>>
>> SPARE THE AIR WARNINGS FOR BURNING WOOD IN WINTER
>>
>>
>>
>> SANTA ROSA, CA, NOVEMBER 15, 2006 -- With holidays approaching, and
>> with 1.5 million fireplaces in the Bay Area, many residents will
>> light fires and this may be a problem with the new and stricter
>> federal air quality standards set to go into effect on Dec. 18. The
>> American Lung Association of California is warning residents to
>> resist burning wood to help clear the air.
>>
>> "During winter, we get many calls from people who are severely
>> affected by wood smoke in the air. Some of them literally can't
>> breathe when they go outside. They feel they are prisoners in their
>> home," said Jenny Bard, clean air program director for the American
>> Lung Association of California.
>>
>> Smoke produced by burning wood contains thousands of chemical
>> substances, including tiny particles, carbon monoxide, nitrogen
>> oxide, benzene, and formaldehyde. Many of the toxins in wood smoke
>> are the same as those found in cigarette smoke
>>
>> Due to overwhelming scientific evidence of harmful effects of even
>> low levels of particulate matter (PM), the tiny particles found in
>> diesel and wood smoke, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
>> adopted new air quality standards that go into effect December 18.
>> The smallest particles pose the greatest health threats because
>> these microscopic particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs and
>> even enter the bloodstream. The new standards will cut by half the
>> amount of these particles allowed in the air in a 24-hour period.
>>
>> Because of concern about wood smoke pollution, 41 cities and eight
>> counties in the Bay Area have adopted ordinances regulating the
>> installation of wood burning devices. Wood smoke from fireplaces is
>> the largest source of PM air pollution in the Bay Area during winter
>> months.
>>
>> "Wood smoke can increase the number and severity of asthma attacks,
>> increase the risk of pneumonia, aggravate bronchitis and other lung
>> diseases, and reduce the body's ability to fight infections," said
>> Michael Martin, MD, an asthma and allergy specialist and volunteer
>> of the American Lung Association of California. "Fine particulate
>> air pollution, to which wood burning is a big contributor, has also
>> been linked to lung cancer, heart attacks and even death."
>>
>> The American Lung Association of California urges residents to take
>> steps to help clear the air of wood smoke.
>>
>> "We know that some people by necessity must burn wood to heat their
>> homes," said Bard. "Our goal is to raise awareness of the dangers of
>> wood smoke and let people know what they can do to reduce wood smoke
>> pollution."
>>
>> Older woodstoves that do not comply with EPA certification
>> standards are among the biggest culprits in wood smoke and can
>> produce up to 60 grams of particulate pollution in one hour, as
>> compared to .07 grams for natural gas. While certified wood-burning
>> devices do produce less particulate pollution than uncertified ones,
>> if not used correctly and properly maintained, these stoves can emit
>> levels of particulate pollution comparable to those from uncertified
>> devices.
>>
>> The state Air Resources Board estimates that about 6 million tons,
>> or 2.7 million cords of wood, are burned in California each year,
>> releasing up to 370 tons of PM10 and 2,100 tons of carbon monoxide.
>>
>> The greatest buildup of PM air pollution occurs on cold, windless
>> winter evenings. When the PM level is predicted to exceed health
>> standards, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District will call a
>> Spare the Air Tonight advisory and will ask the public to not burn
>> wood. For specific tips on how to reduce pollution from wood smoke
>> or to advocate for a wood smoke ordinance, community residents can
>> call 800.LUNG-USA and will be connected to their local office. For
>> information on wood smoke, visit the Bay Area Air Quality Management
>> District's website at www.sparetheair.org.
>>
>>
>>
>> Tips for Reducing Wood Smoke Pollution
>>
>> To help reduce pollution from wood smoke, the American Lung
>> Association of California and the Bay Area Air Quality Management
>> District urge residents to do the following:
>>
>> 1. Switch to a gas fireplace - the least polluting alternative
>> to wood-burning.
>>
>> 2. On cold, clear nights, resist the temptation to light up.
>>
>> 3. Burn manufactured logs (such as Presto-logs) instead of
>> wood. Logs made of compressed sawdust burn about 50 percent cleaner
>> than wood. Choose logs that don't use wax binding agents.
>>
>> 4. If you must burn wood, burn only dry, seasoned wood, and
>> start with a small fire using softwoods such as pine and fir. Add
>> hardwood logs only after the fire is going.
>>
>> 5. Never burn garbage, glossy paper or wood that has been
>> chemically treated or painted! This will release toxic chemicals
>> into the air.
>>
>> 6. Check your chimney. A properly burning fire should give off
>> little or no smoke, except during the first few minutes.
>>
>> 7. Comply with "Spare the Air" wintertime notices from the Air
>> District not to burn wood when pollution levels exceed health
>> standards for particulate matter.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Jenny Bard
>>
>>
>>
>> Director of Communications, Advocacy and Clean Air Programs
>>
>> American Lung Association of California
>>
>> 115 Talbot Avenue
>>
>> Santa Rosa, CA 95404
>>
>> 707-527-5864
>>
>> 707-542-6111 fax
>>
>> www.californialung.org
>>
>> www.lungusa.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
> --
> Twin Dragon Studio
> Mill Valley, CA, USA
>
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>
Lee Love on sun 19 nov 06
They can't woodfire in Kyoto anymore either. Otherwise, I might live there. :^)
They still fire a huge noborigama in downtown Mashiko. When you
see billowing smoke in the prefecture, you know it is either a
woodkiln or a trash fire, depending on the color and intensity of the
smoke. They also burn off the fields of rice straw and rice
husks. It causes trouble in healthy people if the wind is too still
or in the wrong direction.
Some photos of our walk in the rain. It is burnt ricestraw and rice husk ash:
http://daishizen.blogspot.com/
--
Lee in Mashiko, Japan
http://potters.blogspot.com/
"Let the beauty we love be what we do." - Rumi
"When we all do better. We ALL do better." -Paul Wellstone
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