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How-To Guide for Implementing a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign
Just 20 old non-EPA-certified wood stoves can emit more than 1 ton of fine particles into your area during the cold months of the year. -U.S. EPA
Check out examples of ongoing or completed Wood Stove Changeout Campaigns. 
- Lincoln County (Libby), Montana
- Santa Clara, California
- Truckee, California
- North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District (Item 3)
- Washoe County, Nevada
- Washington State
- Great Wood Stove and Fireplace Changeout, Great Lakes States
- Final Report (PDF) (13pp, 60k)
Idea Exchange
State, local, and Tribal officials met at the Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association's Expo 2005 and traded ideas on Wood Stove Changeout Campaigns. Learn more about this session through the Workshop Proceedings Report (PDF) (48pp, 2.6 MB).
Health Effects of Wood Smoke
Produces fine particle pollution, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds (VOC), some of which may be toxic air pollutants.
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Toxic air pollutants include benzo(a) pyrene. In the great lakes, half of the benzo(a)pyrene emissions (PDF) (1pg, 12k) come from wood smoke.
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Particle pollution can damage the lungs and cause respiratory disease. Learn more about the health effects of particle pollution.
We have developed this how-to guide for you to use to determine whether it is feasible for your jurisdiction to develop and implement a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign. This material will provide you with the following information:
What is a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign?
How do I know if my area is a candidate for a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign?
What is the process for developing and implementing a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign?
- Identify potential partners.
- Identify sources of funding.
- Develop a project plan.
- Implement the Wood Stove Changeout Campaign.
- Measure success.
The e-library provides additional resources. After reviewing this material, if you have more questions on starting a wood stove changeout campaign in your area, please contact Larry Brockman at 919-541-5398.
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the Adobe PDF files on this page. See EPA's PDF page for more information about getting and using the free Acrobat Reader.
What is a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign?
- A Wood Stove Changeout Campaign is a mechanism you can use to reduce the amount of air pollution from wood smoke in your area.
- This voluntary program can be an effective way to reduce emissions of particulates and air toxics.
- A Wood Stove Changeout Campaign provides information and incentives (e.g., rebates or discounts) to encourage people to replace their old, conventional wood stove with an EPA-certified wood-burning appliance that burns more cleanly and efficiently, including pellet, gas, and propane appliances.
- A good Wood Stove Changeout Campaign includes general elements found in other air pollution reduction programs as well as elements specific to Wood Stove Changeout Campaigns. Check out the process diagram (PDF) (1pg, 69k) of how a basic Wood Stove Changeout Campaign works.
- We are also available to answer questions and provide support. Notify us when you decide that your area will plan and implement a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign.
How do I know if my area is a candidate for a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign?
By implementing a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign, you can improve air quality within your area, reduce the amount of sickness associated with residential wood smoke, and improve visibility. Check out information related to the emissions reductions from EPA-certified wood stoves (PDF) (3pp, 113k).
Criteria that may make your area a candidate for a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign (PDF) (2pp, 61k) include:
- Your area has high amounts of air pollution, especially particle pollution, of which PM2.5 is a part. EPA uses the Air Quality Index (AQI) as an indicator of the amount of air pollution present in the atmosphere. Also, EPA's AIRNow Web site provides the public with easy access to national air quality information.
- Your area has been designated as nonattainment for PM2.5. Check out the PM2.5 nonattainment area map (PDF) (1pg, 246k). EPA also has more detailed mapping information related to PM 2.5 nonattainment areas.
- Your community is located within a geography and topography that makes it susceptible to high levels of PM2.5 (e.g., a community in a "bowl" can get "smoked in" during the winter).
- There is a significant number of wood-burning appliances (e.g., wood stoves and fireplaces) used in your area. Consider the various types of burning that occur in your community and whether people burn for heating or aesthetic purposes. Several sources (PDF) (2pp, 1.4 MB) are available to determine if your area fulfills this requirement. The e-library also has additional information.
- Your community has a high concentration of minority and/or low-income populations that could realize health benefits from a changeout campaign. EPA has developed lots of information related to environmental justice. EPA has also developed the Environmental Justice Geographic Assessment Tool that allows you to quickly determine whether your jurisdiction may have high minority or low-income populations. The sample environmental justice analysis (PDF) (16pp, 8.4 MB) provides an example you could use to help you draft an environmental justice analysis report.
Once you have determined that your area may be a candidate for a Wood Stove Changeout Campaign, a next step would be to compare your data and rationale to other area case studies. One example of a previously completed case study is the case study used for Libby, Montana (PDF) (8pp, 1.0 MB).