The Environment ministers meet next week (15 Dec 15) to decide on wood heater “standards”. We need to keep up the pressure to make sure they know how unacceptable it is to have a “standard” set by industry that allows new woodheaters to emit more PM2.5 pollution in a few hours than the average car does in an entire year. This task should be left to health experts.
Many people have commented on how woodsmoke has affected their lives – read the comments. If you haven’t already done so, please add your name/comments. Cleaning up woodsmoke pollution would allow a 6 ug/m3 PM2.5 standard and prevent 700 premature deaths every year. All comments will be passed on to the ministers & Standards Australia.
Personal emails to the ministers would be even better, if you have time. For a draft of what to say and the contact details of all ministers.
The UN Environment Program & World Meteorological Organization showed that we need to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP) such as methane and black carbon if we want to keep the global temperature increase below 2 degrees. Asking the ministers to reject the “standard” set by industry and instead consult health experts would make a significant contribution towards reducing SLCP as well as improving health.
Thanks in advance to everyone who is able to help (& double thanks if you have already responded!)
Regards,
Dorothy
Setting a high or low standard for new wood heaters will have minimal impact in Armidale. From my observations there are a lot of existing wood heaters that produce excessive amounts of wood smoke. Unless these are addressed (as in removed) nothing will change. A program to remove poor quality wood heaters would be a very brave move by Council, but that’s what is needed.