Wood smoke is our New "Second Hand" Smoke

To the Editor:

Wood smoke has become our new "Second Hand Smoke."  Wood smoke has many of the same components as cigarette smoke, yet it is almost completely unregulated, while cigarette smoke is highly regulated.

It took years to understand the dangers of cigarette smoke and even longer to understand the dangers of "second hand" cigarette smoke.  It is now taking all too long to understand and regulate the dangers of wood smoke and its serious effects on human health.

In summer months many people burn open fire pits, chimineas and other wood burning equipment -- many of which cause neighbors to breathe in wood smoke - even in very hot weather.  The affected people often call Environment and Human Health, Inc. looking for ways to stop the wood smoke from coming into their homes and asking why town, state and federal agencies do not protect them.

The situation explodes in the colder months when outdoor wood furnaces pollute the air of so many towns - with none of the government agencies willing to remediate this serious problem.  An outdoor wood furnace Bill died once again in the CT Legislature this year and other states that are badly affected by wood smoke are not doing much better either.

Wood smoke is dangerous when breathed in on a continual basis, just as cigarette smoke is.  It is taking all too long for states, towns and health departments to deal with this serious health issue.

                        Nancy Alderman, President                        Environment and Human Health, Inc.
Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI), is a ten-member, non-profit organization composed of doctors, public health professionals and policy experts dedicated to protecting people from environmental harms.