Lung Association Disagrees With Claim

Lung Association Disagrees With Claim
March 16, 2009


On March 16, 2009, the Jamestown, New York, Post-Journal featured an article on proposed regulations for outdoor wood boilers.

The American Lung Association in New York openly refuted some people’s claims that outdoor wood boilers (OWBs) do not cause any health problems. They basically stated that outdoor wood boilers are wreaking havoc across New York, polluting the air and making breathing difficult for New Yorkers forced to breathe the smoke they produce.

The Lung Associate confirmed that wood smoke emissions contain components such as carbon monoxide, various irritant gases, and chemicals known or suspected to be carcinogens, such as dioxin. Burning wood in close proximity to residential housing, regardless of stack height, creates a corridor for dirty air. Any smoke is toxic smoke that your neighbors are forced to breathe.

Breathing wood smoke is smoking!
The health effects of wood smoke exposure include increased asthma attacks, coughing, wheezing, increased hospital admissions for lower respiratory infections, difficulty breathing, bronchitis and pneumonia. Population studies show that young children are most likely to be affected. Wood smoke is also linked to a variety of other health effects, including increased risk of emergency room visits for asthma attacks, heart attacks and premature deaths.

According to the American Lung Association's 2008 State of the Air report (www.alany.org), many United States counties and cities received failing grades for air quality with dangerously high levels of ozone. Add in the high level of particulate matter generated by outdoor wood smoke, and you have a recipe for dirty, dangerous air.

Simply said, the negative health consequences from outdoor wood boilers outweigh the money saved from heating with wood.

Excerpted from remarks by Michael Seilback, Vice President, Public Policy & Communications, American Lung Association in New York