TO BURN OR NOT TO BURN
We still may have weeks to snuggle beside a roaring fire. But don’t light that match just yet—not if your fireplace is the wood-burning sort.

Check first whether your state and county have called for a “no-burn” day, put in effect during winter months, primarily, when air pollution reaches an unhealthy stage.

Wood-burning is one factor in the air-pollution mix, along with automobile emissions, industrial pollutants and stagnant air. Experts calculate the negative effects on health in terms of particulates—miniscule particles that circulate in the air.

“Particulate matter gets deep within your lungs, and for folks with asthma and bronchial conditions, it makes it very tough for them to breathe,” says Holly Ward, Maricopa County Air Quality Department spokeswoman. “And even for healthy people—if you take in enough, you’re going to start seeing some problems.”

On a no-burn day in Maricopa County, using a wood-burning fireplace or a woodstove—whether with real or manufactured logs—can result in steep fines, according to Ward. Planning to stoke up a backyard fire pit? The legality of both fire pit and chimenea use on no-burn days will be decided in March by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

Maricopa County residents can find out when a no-burn day is planned through media reports or by calling (602) 506-6400. Arizonans in general are able to sign up for high-pollution advisory e-mail alerts by visiting azdeq.gov/subscribe.html, and for text message alerts at azdeq.gov/sms.html.


WAXING GREEN
More than 35 years ago, Duraflame began marketing its “firelog,” made of recycled sawdust, wax and such fillers as nutshells and the cellulose byproducts of food crops. The company recently took another “green” step by removing the petroleum-based wax that held the firelog together. The new “biowax” is made from renewable plant and vegetable oils. The product reformulation will eliminate carbon emissions from fossil fuels that are the equivalent of the annual carbon emissions from 62,000 automobiles, says company spokesman Nathan Hambley.  

 





NICHE MARKET
An Australian company has come out with a UL-approved product that fills a niche—make that several niches: Because they do not need special utility connections, EcoSmart™Fire fireplaces can serve as free-standing room dividers and more. The product burns a renewable energy source—denatured ethanol (also called denatured alcohol)—and does not require venting outside with a flue. “The combustion of denatured alcohol results in heat, steam and carbon dioxide,” explains company spokesman Doug Holland. “This is considered to be ‘clean emission.’” For more information, visit ecosmartfire.com, or check out the product at area retailers.





TIP: Never burn plywood, particle board or any wood containing glue or paint. All release toxic chemicals when burned.              

 —The Environmental Protection Agency