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Health Effect of Wood SmokeWood burning is a major source of particulate matter (PM) air pollution in the Bay Area in the winter months. PM in wood smoke from the estimated 1.7 million fireplaces and woodstoves in the Bay Area has been a health concern for many years.Particulate matter is a mixture of solid and liquid particles in the air. The smaller-sized particles - those 10 micrometers or less in diameter (PM10) - are of greatest health concern because they can pass through the nose and throat and lodge deep in the lungs. Included in PM10 is a subset of very tiny particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller (PM 2.5), sometimes called "fine" particles. For comparison, a particle 10 micrometers in diameter is about one-seventh the diameter of a human hair. Since the 1980's, many scientific studies (pdf) have been published that correlate rising PM levels with serious health effects, such as asthma symptoms, decreased lung function, increased hospital admissions, and even premature death. Learn more about how to protect your family from the health effects of smoke -- including smoke from wildfires. Learn more about the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's Wood Smoke Prevention Program - including · Model Wood Smoke Ordinance · Sample of Most Protective Ordinance Adopted · Bay Area Cities that have Adopted Wood Smoke Ordinances · Wood Burning Handbook · EPA-Certified Wood-Burning Appliances |
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