Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Health risks of residential wood heat

  • Profile
  • Published:
Environmental Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The resurgence in the use of wood in the United States for residential heating has been accompanied by a dramatic increase in deaths and injuries from residential fires. Toxic materials present in woodsmoke also appear to present a significant public health hazard. As a result of these factors, production of residential wood heat can be up to two orders of magnitude more hazardous than generation of an equivalent amount of electric energy at a coal-fired power plant. Proper care in installation and operation of wood stoves, as well as technological innovations that control wood-stove emissions, can greatly reduce the health and safety hazards of residential heating with wood.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature cited

  • Bailey, M., and P. Wheeling. 1980. New England fuelwood survey. US Department of Agriculture, Broomall, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berard, T. F., M. Davenaugh, and C. L. D'Autrenchy. 1980. The safety aspects of woodburning stoves in the nine northeastern states. Undergraduate project report. Washington, DC, Project Center, Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bohac, C. E., J. R. Duncan, H. R. Hickey, D. M. McCarthy, and J. P. Harper. 1980. Review of TVA wood-for-energy initiatives. Tennessee Valley Authority.

  • Booz, Allen and Hamilton, Inc. 1980. Assessment of proposed federal tax credits for residential wood burning equipment. DOE/CS/21693-1. US Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butcher, S. S., and E. M. Sorenson. 1979. A study of wood stove particulate emissions.Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association 29:724.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colorado General Assembly (54th), second regular session, March 1984, House Bill 1187.

  • Consumer Product Safety Commission. 1982. National electronic injury surveillance system. Washington, DC.

  • Cooper, J. A. 1980. Impact of residential wood combustion on urban air quality: first ambient measurements.Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association 30:855.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, J. A., and J. G. Watson. 1979. Portland aerosol characterization study. Oregon Graduate Center, Portland, OR.

    Google Scholar 

  • D'Alessio, G. J., and K. E. Kawaoka. 1980. Health effects of residential wood combustion: survey of knowledge and research. Draft report for the US Department of Energy. Washington, DC.

  • De Angelis, D. G., D. S. Ruffin, J. A. Peters, and R. B. Reznik. 1980. Source Assessment: Residential Combustion of Wood. EPA-600/2-80-042b. US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). 1983. Oral testimony on HB 2235, Oregon Legislative Assembly. DEQ, PO Box 1760, Portland, OR 97207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Esvelt, T. G., and M. L. Roberts. 1980. The use of wood for residential space heating in the Pacific Northwest. Bonneville Power Administration.

  • Federal Register. 1984. Air pollution control; regulation of polycyclic organic matter under the Clean Air Act; proposed rule. 40 CFR ch. 1, part VII (13 February 1984).

  • Garden Way, Inc., and Wood Energy Institute. 1979. Wood as a viable home heating alternative. Gallup Survey, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gomberg, A., and L. P. Clark. 1982. Rural and non-rural civilian residential fire fatalities in twelve states. NBSIR82-2519, US Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grotheer, W. E. 1983. Residential wood combustion control strategies and regulatory approaches to minimize air quality impacts. Presented at 1983 Annual Meeting Pacific North-west International Section, Air Pollution Control Association, 16–18 November 1983, Seattle, WA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kale, D. 1982. Fires in woodburning appliances. US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, M. E. 1983. Sources and emissions of polycyclic organic matter (POM).Radian Corporation (27 October 1983).

  • Kowalczyk, J. F., P. B. Bosserman, and B. J. Tombleson. 1982. Particulate emissions from new, low emission wood stove designs measured by EPA method V. Pages 54–78in J. A. Cooper and D. Malek (eds.), Residential solid fuels: environmental impacts and solutions. Oregon Graduate Center, Beaverton, OR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Machlin, P. R. 1982. Woodburning in the Environmental Protection Agency Region VIII states/issues and options for control. Pages 1197–215in J. A. Cooper and D. Malek (eds.), Residential solid fuels: environmental impacts and solutions. Oregon Graduate Center, Beaverton, OR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maviglio, S. 1983. Assistant editor,Wood 'n Energy Magazine, Concord, NH, personal communication (September 1983).

  • May, J. W., Jr., and R. Hansen. 1980. Log-splitter injuries.New England Journal of Medicine 303:1127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, R. E. 1978. AREAS: a computer code for estimating air pollutant concentrations from dispersed sources. ORNL/ TM-6364. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris, S. C. 1983. Health risks of coal energy technology. Pages 77–139in C. C. Travis and E. L. Etnier (eds.), Health risks of energy technologies. Westview Press, Boulder, CO.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Academy of Sciences (NAS). 1972. Committee on Biological Effects of Atmospheric Pollutants. Particulate polycyclic organic matter. Washington, DC.

  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 1974. Asheville, NC.

  • Newman, R. 1981. Overview of chain saw related injuries. US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oregon Legislative Assembly (62nd), 1983 regular session, Enrolled House Bill 2235.

  • Peacock, R. D. 1979. A review of fire incidents, model building codes, and standards related to wood-burning appliances. NBSIR 79-1731. Center for Fire Research, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romero, A. E., R. M. Buchan, and D. G. Fox. 1978. A study of air pollution from fireplace emissions at Vail Ski Resort.Journal of Environmental Health 29:117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shelton, J. W. 1978. Analysis of fire reports on file in the Massachusetts state fire marshall's office relating to wood and coal heating equipment. NBS-GCR-78-149. National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skog, K. E., and I. A. Watterson. 1983. Residential Fuelwood Use in the United States: 1980–81. Survey completion report. US Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI.

    Google Scholar 

  • US Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration. 1982. Consumption and Expenditures, April 1980 through March 1981, part 1, national data. DOE/EIA-0321/1. Washington, DC.

  • US Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration. 1983. 1982 annual energy review. DOE/EIA-0384 (82). Washington, DC.

  • US Environmental Protection Agency. 1971. National ambient air quality standards.Federal Register 36 (no. 84, part II):8186–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whiteman, C. D., and T. B. McKee. 1977. Air pollution implications of inversion descent in mountain valleys. Pages 146–153in Joint Conference on Applications of Air Pollution Meteorology. American Meteorological Society, 29 November–2 December 1977, Salt Lake City, UT.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, R., S. D. Colome, J. D. Spengler, and D. G. Wilson. 1981. Health effects of fossil fuel burning. Balinger, Cambridge, MA.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. H. Robert Meyer

    Present address: Chem-Nuclear Systems Inc., 2309 Renard SE, Suite 300, 87106, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health and Safety Research Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 37831, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA

    Curtis C. Travis, Elizabeth L. Etnier & H. Robert Meyer

Authors
  1. Curtis C. Travis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elizabeth L. Etnier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. Robert Meyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Travis, C.C., Etnier, E.L. & Meyer, H.R. Health risks of residential wood heat. Environmental Management 9, 209–215 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01867077

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01867077

Key words

Search

Navigation