ANNE PAINE,The Tennessean
NASHVILLE – The smell of wood smoke might be a pleasant reminder of campfires and hot-dog roasts to many Middle Tennessee residents, but Environmental Protection Agency officials say to take care.
The emissions from burning wood rank up there with other air polluting sources, releasing particles and toxic chemicals that can trigger asthma attacks, damage lungs and cause heart attacks.
The agency requires most new wood stoves today to be designed to burn more cleanly than in the past and says proper use results in no visible smoke at all.
Eloise Shilstat, who lives near Murfreesboro, said smoke wafting from wood burning can blanket the ground in her area.