WOOD SMOKE POLLUTION IS A NEIGHBORHOOD AIR QUALITY PROBLEM

Yolo Clean Air
2736 Brentwood Place, Davis, CA 95616
Phone & Fax: 530-758-5173

www.yolocleanair.org

About Yolo Clean Air
Yolo Clean Air is a California non-profit organization located in Davis, California. Our Mission is solely focused on improving air quality for the benefit of environmentally sensitive and susceptible individuals suffering from respiratory health problems - particularly children and seniors. We seek to identify and then provide the most practical, attainable, minimally-disruptive, and cost-effective solutions for the most pressing air quality problems. By merging consumer education and/or public behavioral changes with innovative, science-based, technology we seek to create near-term, sustainable environment changes that benefit the community.


WOOD SMOKE POLLUTION IS A NEIGHBORHOOD AIR QUALITY PROBLEM

Why Should You be Worried about Wood Smoke in Your Neighborhood?
“Residential wood combustion creates soot or carbon formed by incomplete combustion which is lifted into the air. These particles are sometimes 2.5 to 10 micrometers in size (PM10) but are more often less than 2.5 micrometers in size (PM2.5)” (Quote from Reference 1).
“Both PM10 and PM2.5 create health problems related to their ability to penetrate deep into our respiratory system. A number of health studies have established a direct correlation between elevated particulate levels and increased mortality” (Quote from Reference 1).

“Children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with respiratory ailments are especially susceptible. Among the health impacts are premature death; respiratory-related hospital admissions; aggravated asthma; acute respiratory symptoms, including aggravated coughing and difficult breathing; chronic bronchitis; and decreased lung function that can be experienced as shortness of breath” (Quote from Reference 1).

“Even if you don’t burn wood, studies have shown that wood smoke from neighbors’ fires can enter your home. Smoke particles are so small they can seep into a home with closed windows and doors. The pollution levels inside a closed home can be up to 70 percent of the levels outdoors” (Quote from Reference 1).

“Almost half of our particulate matter pollution comes from wood burning fireplaces. For folks with asthma, this can be life-threatening” (Quote from Reference 2).

"This (wood smoke) is basically the worst pollution in terms of its health impacts. It has been linked to more than 5,000 premature deaths per year in Southern California” (Quote from Reference 3). Extrapolated from a Southern California population of 20,000,000, this predicts that wood smoke pollution will cause between 12-13 additional premature deaths each year in a city with a population of 50,000. (Please go to their web site to read the rest of the article)

NOTE----The above is only the first part of this great article. Please go to their web site…www.yolocleanair.org to read the complete article