Legislators Steamed by Outdoor Heaters

LEGISLATORS STEAMED BY OUTDOOR HEATERS

Volume 28, Issue 503 November 12, 2007

Matthew Gever

With winter coming and energy prices on the rise, some people are looking for alternative ways to heat their homes. In recent years, outdoor wood-fired boilers have become an increasingly popular, cost-efficient way to keep out the cold. Some lawmakers, however, are concerned that the boilers represent an emerging public health problem.

Popular in northern states with abundant wood supplies, outdoor wood boilers (OWBs) are small stoves that heat water by burning wood and then piping the water into the home for domestic consumption and heating purposes. Since the boilers do not use fossil fuels, they can heat homes (or swimming pools) for far less money than heaters that rely on oil or gas.

“Per BTU, wood is much less expensive than fossil fuels,” said Warren Walborn of Hawken Energy, an OWB manufacturer. (A BTU is defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.) “At current prices, natural gas is three times the cost of wood, propane is five times the cost of wood and electricity is seven times the cost of wood.”

Most states do not regulate the burners. The federal government has no regulations in place, although earlier this year the Environmental Protection Agency set up a voluntary program for pollution reduction which seeks to encourage manufacturers to develop cleaner and more efficient wood-fired heaters.

In the meantime, more information is surfacing about the health risks caused by OWB smoke. The smoke itself can contain particulates and toxic matter such as carbon monoxide, hydrochloric acid and sulfur dioxide. Breathing the fumes can lead to respiratory and cardiovascular problems such as asthma, lung disease and cancer, according to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

The boilers not only burn at low temperatures and smolder (creating creosote, which then also burns), they are sometimes used to burn trash, commercial waste, animal carcasses and other “dirty” fuels, said Edward Miller, CEO of the American Lung Association of Maine.

A growing number of states and localities are tackling the issue, with the Pine Tree State the first to do so legislatively. “Unregulated outdoor wood boilers can and do pose a current threat to public health and cause nuisance situations,” said Maine Representative Sharon Treat.

Earlier this session, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed a bill (LD 1824) that permits the Commissioner of Environmental Protection to freeze the sale of high-emissions outdoor wood boilers until the Department can write rules for the sale, installation and use of OWBs. Outdoor boilers manufactured prior to Oct. 1, 2007 are banned, unless or until they meet the state standards. While it is not in the law, legislators have said they will compensate those who cannot make their boilers compliant.

Vermont and Connecticut already regulate boilers. Washington state’s standards limit the amount of fine particulate air pollution coming from outdoor wood boilers by almost 95 percent, a standard so strict that it effectively bans all existing boilers. These actions were taken by the states’ respective departments of environmental protection.

The Maine law also is intended to standardize scattered local regulations. Several towns in Maine have either developed or discussed developing their own set of rules, which has led to a patchwork of regulations, according to Representative Seth Berry. Other states report the same trend: 50 towns in New York have developed their own regulations and a number of towns across New England are holding public hearings on the matter.

Opposition is Heated

Many, however, are concerned that much of the evidence against OWBs is anecdotal and lacking in scientific rigor. “My opposition is based upon a long study of the inability of the state agencies to act in (accordance with) a thorough study of the issue,” said Maine Representative Henry Joy. “Many of their decisions have no basis in science and result in financial penalties on people who are trying to survive in an ever complicated and expensive world.”

Others worry that the regulations may punish people who use boilers responsibly. “There is a problem with some outdoor boilers, but most aren’t a problem if they’re sited properly,” said Representative Doug Thomas. “We’re going to have complaint-driven enforcement that’s not going to solve the problem—it’s going to deny some a good source of cheap heat.”

“Wood is a renewable and environmentally sound fuel that has been safely used since the beginning of recorded history,” said Walborn. “Existing technology enables the use of catalytic converters and other emissions control devices to almost entirely eliminate smoke emissions. This allows wood to give up to 75 percent seasonal efficiency while emitting 90 percent less smoke than before.”

The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association has put out a set of “Best Burn Practices” to help users increase efficiency and reduce pollutants.