US EPA "Incentivized Voluntary Program": In coordination with NESCAUM,
USEPA officials from RTP in North Carolina developed an "Incentivized Voluntary
Program" that would encourage OWB manufacturers on a nationwide basis to
reduce emissions from newly manufactured OWBs. EPA involved stakeholders
during meetings and conference calls to develop emission "guidelines", a
test method, labels and an implementation time line. Stakeholders included
manufacturers, the Hearth Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBA), state
regulators, NESCAUM and Environment Canada. Under this program, any manufacturers
whose OWBs are tested and shown to be capable of meeting EPA's prescribed
voluntary emission guideline will be allowed to display a label on each OWB
that it meets EPA's criteria. The implementation of the voluntary program
will involve multiple phases with increasingly more stringent particulate
emission goals. For phase one of the program, the voluntary particulate emission
guideline selected by USEPA is: 0.6 pounds per million BTUs (lbs/MMBTU) of
heat input. This number is in the same general range as the limit now contained
in Vermont's proposed rule (0.44 lbs/MMBTU of heat input). The phase II standard,
as yet undetermined, is proposed to be an output based standard. EPA began
implementing its voluntary program on January 29, 2007. USEPA has made clear
that it does not intend to adopt mandatory emission limits or other mandatory
requirements for OWBs in the foreseeable future. In order to implement its
voluntary program in a timely manner, EPA developed a test method to measure
the particulate emissions from OWBs: "Test Method 28 OWHH for Measurement
of Particulate Emissions and Heating Efficiency of Outdoor Wood-fired Hydronic
Heating Appliances". This test method is a modification of EPA Method 28
used for the laboratory certification testing of indoor woodstoves.
Details of the EPA program, a list of EPA certified OWBs and other
information about OWBs (also called "hydronic heaters") can be found on this
EPA website:
EPA - OWB/OWHH website ||
The EPA Test Method 28 OWHH