The contribution of residental wood combustion to ambient air pollution in Nashville, Tennessee: A case study

Residential Wood Combustion (RWC) has undergone a resurgence as a means of home heating in the Tennessee Valley and across the Nation. The Tennessee Valley Authority, Air Quality Branch (AQB), has undertaken two previous studies to determine the impact of RWC in residential areas and found that it can dominate the ambient particulate and Benzo(A)-Pyrene (BAP) concentrations. Other researchers have studied the ambient effects of RWC on urban areas where many other sources also contribute to the ambient pollutant levels and have found that it can have significant effects during the heating season. There is an interest in the Tennessee Valley Authority's Wood Heater Program and the Biomass Integrated Environmental Assessment Project as to the current and projected future effects of RWC in urban areas in the Tennessee Valley Region. A study was conducted during the first quarter of 1983 to determine the impact of RWC on the ambient air quality of Nashville, Tennessee. This study is to be used as the basis for projections into additional urban areas.