In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

EPA approves new woodstove emissions standards

Discussion in 'Modern EPA Stoves and Fireplaces' started by savemoney, Feb 4, 2015.

  1. savemoney

    savemoney

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    13,186
    Likes Received:
    66,859
    Location:
    Chelsea Maine
    EPA approves new woodstove emissions standards
    The rules, which will reduce new stove emissions by two-thirds in five years, get mixed reactions from stove manufacturers, including Maine-based Jotul North America.
    By Tux Turkel Portland Press Herald
    [email protected] | @TuxTurkel | 207-791-6462
    Share
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    The federal Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday released long-awaited rules aimed at reducing air pollution from wood-burning heaters, including wood stoves, pellet stoves and both indoor and outdoor wood boilers.
    The rules in general will require many stove makers to begin producing heaters that are less polluting beginning this year, and up to 70 percent cleaner by 2020. The new emission limits target fine particles and toxic compounds associated with smog and various health concerns.
    Additional Images
    [​IMG]
    2013 Press Herald File Photo\John Ewing New rules in general will require many stove makers to begin producing heaters that are less polluting beginning this year, and up to 70 percent cleaner by 2020.
    The new standards update existing emissions levels set in 1988. Since then, new technology has made it possible to build wood heaters that are more efficient and less polluting, the agency says.
    The new rules don’t cover stoves or heaters already in people’s homes, nor do they extend to indoor fireplaces.
    The EPA rules also allow time for stores to sell stoves that meet the 1988 levels, through the end of 2015.
    Heating with wood is a cherished and thrifty tradition in Maine. A greater percentage of homes use wood as their primary heat source – 14 percent – than any state other than Vermont, according to U.S. Census figures. An estimated 50 percent of Maine homes also use wood as a supplemental heat source.
    The wood-heating trend is good for cutting energy bills, but not for air quality. Older wood stoves, especially, churn out more of the pollution that aggravates asthma and other respiratory conditions than the oil and gas heating systems they’re meant to supplement or replace.
    The new rules are based on thousands of comments, a public hearing and months of input from businesses. They have been of intense interest to Maine’s only wood-stove manufacturer, Jotul North America in Gorham.
    Bret Watson, the company’s president, said Wednesday that the new rules won’t have an impact right away, because all Jotul stoves now burn an average of 4.5 grams of emissions an hour – much cleaner than the 1988 standards for noncatalytic stoves of 7.5 grams per hour. But the EPA is calling for emissions to be cut to 2 grams per hour in 2020, and Jotul opposes that.
    “Step two, if upheld, will be a game changer,” Watson told the Press Herald.
    To achieve 2 grams, he said, the company would need to add catalytic combustors to all its 14 models, which would cost more than $1 million overall. He estimated that adding the technology to Jotul’s most-popular model, the F 500, would add 15 percent, or $375, to the cost of that stove for a buyer.
    Watson predicted a legal battle over the standards between his trade organization and various environmental and clean-air advocates. He called the more-stringent standard a “look good, feel good” regulation that wouldn’t be effective.
    The trade group, the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association, had a mixed reaction. It applauded the EPA’s decision to phase in standards for warm-air wood furnaces and give manufacturers time to develop and test cleaner models.
    “Conversely,” the group said in a statement, “we believe the agency missed the mark in other areas. For example, some of the future standards proposed for wood-burning appliances do not meet the government’s duty to set standards based on data that shows both a tangible benefit to consumers and cost-effectiveness.”
    The association added: “Our industry does not oppose new emission standards. We simply want to ensure that these future standards produce a real clean-air benefit that consumers can afford. We will continue to work with EPA and other stakeholders to address our remaining concerns.”
    The new wood-burning rules were generally embraced, however, by an advocacy group in Bethesda, Maryland, that promotes cleaner-burning technologies.
    “Overall, we think the EPA did a good job and released a fair rule that includes many compromises between industry and air quality agencies,” said John Ackerly, president of the Alliance for Green Heat. “We think these rules are good for consumers and will not drive prices up hardly at all, but will result in more efficient appliances that will save consumers time and money.”
    Ackerly called the 2-gram-an-hour standard for stoves in 2020 “fair and reasonable,” and likely to lead to more and improved catalytic stoves.
    “We think delaying the standards for warm air furnaces for one to two years was a mistake,” he said.
    Tux Turkel can be contacted at 791-6462 or
    [email protected]
    Twitter@TuxTurkel
     
  2. My IS heats my home

    My IS heats my home

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2013
    Messages:
    7,394
    Likes Received:
    17,637
    Location:
    Albany, NH
    I only read 2 pages of the report but it seems good for the industry. The manufacturers have 5 years to comply and it also includes OWB, which may be one of the worst offenders. I know we have a little of everyone (burner types) on the forum at FHC. It's a good read for updates in the policies
     
    wildwest likes this.
  3. Gasifier

    Gasifier

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    19,940
    Likes Received:
    98,893
    Location:
    St. Lawrence River Valley, NY
    :popcorn:
     
    wildwest likes this.
  4. Gasifier

    Gasifier

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    19,940
    Likes Received:
    98,893
    Location:
    St. Lawrence River Valley, NY
    Good thread saves. Hopefully it will lead to cleaner air for all. But I doubt it will soon. It will take a while to have big effects.

    I sent a very imformative letter to the EPA not long ago and told them if at the same time they passed these out to guys like smoke show, rottiman, loon, thewoodlands, Scotty Overkill, fishingpol, and a bunch of these other guys that cook and eat so much with wood, and end up sharing their "joy",
    upload_2015-2-4_17-20-29.jpeg :chef: :grizz::stirpot: :flipeggs::beerbbq::MM::camping:they could have a lasting impact as well.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2015
  5. fishingpol

    fishingpol

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    6,502
    Likes Received:
    39,620
    Location:
    Merrimack Valley, Ma.
    I won't add too much to this.

    It is all well and good for the big picture. Part of the problem will be getting people to put seasoned wood in these things.

    I'd like to see manufacturers focus on testing bio bricks in their stoves. So many people are challenged in getting truly seasoned wood. A dry bio brick would make life a lot easier for a lot of people. Convenient, ready to burn, no bugs, and no bark. I think there is a good market for bricks. I know quite a few people who have stoves, and not enough seasoned wood that would have bought a pallet or two.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2015
  6. Certified106

    Certified106

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2013
    Messages:
    4,170
    Likes Received:
    11,885
    Location:
    In The Hills
    While all of this sounds great I really don't care for the EPA getting any more involved than they already are. You think stoves are expensive now just wait until the price skyrockets from all of this forced compliancy. Then wait a few years and the EPA will try something stupid like putting the burden of proof on us as consumers to test and prove our setup is burning efficiently within their standards or they will shut us down. I just really see this as a long slippery slope aimed at shutting down wood burning. I need to stop now before I really get going........... I will say this though if the market would support these ideas and the cost justification was there wood stove companies would get there themselves without a government agency forcing it down our throats.
     
  7. Horkn

    Horkn

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2014
    Messages:
    26,985
    Likes Received:
    150,600
    Location:
    SE Wisconsin
    I really like the idea of bio bricks. Each one of those pretty much guaranteed low emissions. Compact, dependable, easy, and neat. I'd buy a pallet of that.
     
  8. JA600L

    JA600L

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2014
    Messages:
    762
    Likes Received:
    1,702
    Location:
    Lancaster, Pa
    The future of wood burning could be interesting. They could add sensors, actuators, and a controller to determine air adjustments and burn rates. They could also monitor moisture content in the firebox, log fault codes , and enter a limp in derate mode when unseasoned wood continues to be used. They could send the fault codes to the epa and they could come give you a fine. However, its a lot easier just to ban them completely. Let's just be happy that they are giving wood burning a future.
     
    Backwoods Savage likes this.
  9. savemoney

    savemoney

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    13,186
    Likes Received:
    66,859
    Location:
    Chelsea Maine
    While bio bricks are clean burning and convienent, they are not the fuel of choice by most of our wood burning crowd. Most of the wood burners I know want to stay connected to the harvesting of their own wood. The cutting, the hauling, the splitting and the stacking. They have a sence of freedom and independence also of being the provider. Wood burning is going to be controlled so long as there'd are many of those who take advantage of their neighbors by not following good burning practices. Here, that is like preaching to the choir. I don't like vigilantes going about anymore than I like the government cleaning up the problem. But somehow, good wood burners will need to be pro active in educating those who are are dirty burners. Lots of potential there.
     
  10. badbob

    badbob

    Joined:
    Apr 23, 2014
    Messages:
    2,482
    Likes Received:
    9,945
    Location:
    bozeman pass,park county,MT 6500'
    Will be interesting,as next insurance companies will want stove upgraded when selling/buying house.With that being said,as long as states that do not enforce vehicle modification laws(here) every time you pull up to a stoplight and the guy next to you has changed the exhaust on his diesel truck you are getting more pollution in your lungs than you could imagine,and very hard on children.
     
    JA600L likes this.
  11. Oakman69

    Oakman69

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2014
    Messages:
    638
    Likes Received:
    2,765
    Location:
    Mechanicsville
    I agree
    I believe the epa's goal is not cleaner air but rather put such onerous standards on the stoves that price most people out of heating w wood all together. There are alot more enviro Nazi's in epa than real world "people"
    Unreal how us American s just accept what they shovel down out throats.
    Smoky unseasoned wood is mainly issue.
    When I burn 2yr oak I never see smoke!
    Trick is to leave vents or door open a bit until stove is hot and wood is engulfed coal ed up. Then close down..
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2015
    Norky and BCB like this.
  12. Oakman69

    Oakman69

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2014
    Messages:
    638
    Likes Received:
    2,765
    Location:
    Mechanicsville
    Give them time..
    Its time we stand up to the epa and kick out the enviro Nazi's

    http://m.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/utah-winter-wood-burning-ban-air-quality/41029379
     
    Norky and BCB like this.
  13. Oakman69

    Oakman69

    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2014
    Messages:
    638
    Likes Received:
    2,765
    Location:
    Mechanicsville
    I dont trust these people in the epa.
    John Ackerly, president of the Alliance for Green Heat. “We think these rules are good for consumers and will not drive prices up hardly at all, but will result in more efficient appliances that will save consumers time and money.”

    I fully understand we need to be good stewards of the environment and clean up after ourselves but by far can argue they hurt alot more than help.. its not american to just take it in the.. but argue valid points so they listen to us instead of we listen and comply w everthing these entities say
     
    splitoak likes this.
  14. Todd

    Todd

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2013
    Messages:
    517
    Likes Received:
    1,303
    Location:
    NW WIS
    Looking forward to new wood stove designs but IMO the regs are good enough except for those smoke belching OWB's. Education is probably the key to proper burning not more Fed regs.
     
  15. MightyWhitey

    MightyWhitey

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2014
    Messages:
    1,745
    Likes Received:
    6,295
    Location:
    5 miles South of the "cheddar curtain".
    I believe these new regs will make the situation worse. Poor wood in a more "finicky" stove (due to the new regs) will make for a bigger train wrench for many burners and will turn off many folks to wood burning.
     
    splitoak likes this.
  16. BDF

    BDF

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2014
    Messages:
    2,160
    Likes Received:
    7,531
    Location:
    Virginia
    Well, on a very different note, perhaps there is some good news buried in these new regulations: if more stoves (most? all?) are going to require catalytic combustors, perhaps that will drive competition up and the price of combustors down? Maybe, once there are enough combustors in use, and considering the new S.S. combustors do not really deteriorate in use other than the catalyst on the surface being worn away, a 'refurbish' program will start up where old combustors are washed (acid etched) and re-coated with new catalysts, reducing the price to the consumer? This could be a left- handed win / win, especially for a lot of us who already own wood stoves that use combustors; we are grandfathered but the big increase in combustor use may benifit us in the supply and cost of the combustors.

    Just a thought.

    Brian

     
  17. concretegrazer

    concretegrazer

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    4,429
    Likes Received:
    12,443
    Location:
    Southwest MO
    Or it just drives up demand and the price.:zip:

    There are several tube burners that come in under 2.0. So it can be done.
     
    splitoak likes this.
  18. mike holton

    mike holton

    Joined:
    Oct 31, 2013
    Messages:
    472
    Likes Received:
    1,398
    Location:
    Old Dominion

    yup, cat stoves are generally easier to get there with but it can be done with non-cats as well. our 30-nc is a 3.5 CF firebox that tested to 1.6 GPH and its generally harder to get a "big box" unit to burn clean compared to a "small box" one
     
  19. concretegrazer

    concretegrazer

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2013
    Messages:
    4,429
    Likes Received:
    12,443
    Location:
    Southwest MO
    Can some of these stoves that are close be change just a hair and make the cut? I see the Madison is at 2.5. It would stink to have to scrap such a newly developed stove.
     
  20. splitoak

    splitoak

    Joined:
    May 12, 2014
    Messages:
    1,291
    Likes Received:
    2,459
    Location:
    jefferson co wv
    once again dry wood is key...that is what people need to understand...the stoves we have now are very clean burning..mine emits no visible smoke when burning...education on good burning techniques is what is required not tighter regs....
     
    Oakman69 and MightyWhitey like this.