Topic outline

  • EPA: Strategies for Reducing Residential Smoke Pollutants

    Credits: 2 PDH

    PDH Course Description:

    This online engineering PDH course describes strategies to help state and local air officials reduce fine particle pollution that is attributed to residential wood smoke. Because wood stoves, hydronic heaters, and similar appliances can be used around the clock in residential areas, they can cause significant and varying health and quality of life issues. For example, fireplaces may represent as much as 75% of the pollution from wood-burning devices on bad air quality days in the San Francisco Bay area.

    This course also provides education and outreach tools, information on regulatory approaches to reduce wood smoke, as well as information about voluntary programs that communities around the country have used to replace old, inefficient wood stoves, hydronic heaters, and fireplaces. It includes EPA federal actions to help communities address residential wood smoke throughout the United States. In addition, this course includes possible approaches for funding replacement programs, methods for calculating emission reductions, and the basic components of a wood smoke reduction plan for fine particles in areas where wood smoke is of concern.

    Topics:

    This course covers the following specific knowledge and skills:
    • Regulatory programs
    • Voluntary programs
    • Education and outreach
    • Funding mechanisms
    • Partnerships
    • Other tools

    To take this course:

    1.) Enroll in Course: Click below to enroll:
    (must be logged into your user account)


    2.) Study: Once enrolled, click below to begin the course:

    Download the Study Guide

    3.) Test: Once you've thoroughly read the course materials, please click below to take the final examination.

    Take the final exam

    4.) Certificate: A passing grade of 70% or higher on the exam, is required to receive the certificate of completion for this PDH course.
         NOTE: After the exam is completed, you will need to return to this page, in order to print (download) the certificate of completion.

    Print the Certificate of Completion


    Intended Audience: This course is intended for environmental and construction engineers, as well as air-quality officials, and other engineers whose job description may require a knowledge of residential wood smoke mitigation strategies.

    Publication Source: This course is based on the Environmental Protection Agency document, “Strategies for Reducing Residential Wood Smoke,” Publication No. EPA-456/B-13-001, revised March, 2013.


    Mark Rossow PhD, PE (retired)
    • Topic 1