A Safer Hearth: Tools to Raise Awareness and Lower Risk in Your Community s Wood-Heated Homes

Transcription

1 A Safer Hearth: Tools to Raise Awareness and Lower Risk in Your Community s Wood-Heated Homes Alaska Forum on the Environment Tuesday, February 4 th, 2014

2 Today s Topics: 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. Background: A. Key Information on Factors that Affect Heating with Wood - Bob Gorman, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Leif Albertson, University of Alaska Fairbanks B. Key Information on Health Effects of Heating with Wood Gillian Mittelstaedt, Tribal Healthy Homes Network; Ali Hamade, Alaska Division of Public Health 3. Tools that to Raise Awareness and Lower Risk 4. Insights, Questions and Resources

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6 Heating with wood is proving to be the workhorse of residential renewable energy production. -John Ackerly, Alliance for Green Heat G. Gawne-Mittelstaedt, Tribal Healthy Homes Northwest

7 The fluctuating and high cost of fossil fuels continues to put pressure on families. August 27, 1990 December 6, 2012 G. Gawne-Mittelstaedt, Tribal Healthy Homes Northwest

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9 carbon monoxide methane VOCs* (C2-C7) 7-27 aldehydes substituted furans benzene alkyl benzenes 1-6 acetic acid formic acid nitrogen oxides sulfur dioxide methyl chloride napthalene substituted napthalenes oxygenated monoaromatics 1-7 total particle mass 7-30 particulate organic carbon 2-20 oxygenated PAHs Individual PAHs chlorinated dioxins 1x x10-5 normal alkanes (C24-C30) 1x x10-3 sodium 3x x10-2 magnesium 2x x10-3 aluminum 1x x10-2 silicon 3x x10-2 sulfur 1x x10-2 chlorine 7x x10-2

10 Over 90% of woodsmoke particles are smaller than 1 micron - behaving more like a gas than a particle. Electron micrograph of wood smoke particles. Bar = 1 μm.

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13 The small diameters of the primary particles provide a large surface area per mass. Thus, carbon aggregates may act as carriers that transport toxic or biologically active compounds into the lung. (Dasch, 1982; Evans et al., 1981; Tesfaigzi et al., 2002). (Kocbach, 2008)

14 Woodsmoke components are detected in our bloodstream and exhaled breath within 60 seconds of inhaling it

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16 Wood Smoke Polluted Air Tobacco Smoke Forchhammer et al, 2012

17 wood smoke particulates were found to be more powerful than other kinds of air pollution in causing potentially cancerous changes to DNA Journal of Chemical Research in Toxicology Steffen Loft The white area shows where cancer-causing woodsmoke chemicals altered and damaged the DNA in lung cells.

18 A regional study showed that average fine particle levels were up to 26 percent higher in wood-burning houses compared to non-wood burning houses. Benzene levels were 29 percent higher. Average levels of cancer-causing PAHs were 300 to 500 percent higher.

19 An EPA study found that breathing woodsmoke during a high pollution day is the same as smoking 4 to 16 cigarettes.

20 Today s Topics: 1. Welcome and Introductions 2. Background: A. Key Information on Factors that Affect Heating with Wood - Bob Gorman, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Leif Albertson, University of Alaska Fairbanks B. Key Information on Health Effects of Heating with Wood Gillian Mittelstaedt, Tribal Healthy Homes Network; Ali Hamade, Alaska Division of Public Health 3. Tools to Raise Awareness and Lower Risk 4. Insights, Questions and Resources

21 40% Chart 1: Perceived Risk of Woodsmoke Relative to Other Indoor Air Exposures 35% 36% 30% 32% 25% 20% 15% 18% 14% 10% 5% 0% Less of a Concern About the Same Level of Concern More of a Concern Significant Concern

22 90% Chart 2: Perceived Health Risks Associated with Woodsmoke 80% 80% 70% 60% 64% 50% 52% 40% 30% 30% 20% 20% 10% 14% 0% Irritant to Eyes, Nose, Lungs Makes Asthma Worse Causes or Makes Infections Worse Can Cause Cancer Can Cause Heart Attacks Can Cause Strokes

23 45% Chart 3: Type and Frequency of Interventions Used in Villages 40% 39% 35% 30% 32% 25% 20% 18% 15% 16% 14% 10% 9% 5% 0% Woodstove Change-Out Supply Cured/Dry Wood Stove Inspection and Repair Promote Clean Burning Practices Promote Alternative Heat Sources Educate Community about Hazards

24 Tool #1: Moisture Meter

25 Tool #2: Woodshed Blueprints

26 Tool #3: Chimney Thermometer

27 Tool #4: Woodstove Checklist

28 Tool #5: Air Filters EPA... Air cleaning may have a useful role when used in conjunction with source control and ventilation with clean outdoor air.