Why EPA Certified Wood Stoves Are Not the Answer

Many people are touting the benefits of EPA certified wood stoves.

While it is true that EPA certified wood stoves may produce less particulate air pollution than uncertified ones when new and operated according to manufacturer specifications, they produce orders of magnitude more particulate pollution than heaters that burn natural gas.

In addition, the stated performance of EPA certified wood stoves degrades with use to the point where the particulate emissions are comparable to non-certified wood stoves.

Another key issue: EPA certified wood burning appliances emit levels of dioxins and furans that are equal to, or even greater, than those emitted by conventional wood burning devices.

The responsible choice—for your family’s health, for the public’s health, and for the environment—is not to burn wood.