EPA Proposes New Pollution Standards for Wood-Powered Stoves, Heaters

This past January 3, the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States announced that it wished to implement new pollution standards for wood-powered stoves and heaters.

In a press release on the matter at hand, the Agency details that, should these new standards be implemented, future wood-powered stoves and heaters would be about 80% cleaner than the ones currently in use across the country.

The new standards will not in any way affect heaters and stoves that have already been manufactured and sold in the United States.

They will, however, target the ones manufactured starting 2015, when the standards are expected to go into effect.

“The agency’s proposal would make the next generation of stoves and heaters an estimated 80 percent cleaner than those manufactured today, leading to important air quality and public health improvements in communities across the country,” the press release reads.

The Agency says that, all things considered, these new pollution standards for wood-powered stoves and heaters will translate into noteworthy health and financial benefits.

“When these standards are fully implemented, EPA estimates that for every dollar spent to comply with these standards, the American public will see between $118 and $267 (€86.5 and €195.7) in health benefits,” it argues.

Furthermore, “Consumers will also see a monetary benefit from efficiency improvements in the new wood stoves, which use less wood to heat homes.”

All in all, the new standards are estimated to lead to $1.8 to $2.4 billion (€1.31 to €1.75 billion) yearly health and economic benefits.