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Efficacy of interventions targeting household air pollution from residential wood stoves

Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology volume 27, pages 64–71 (2017)Cite this article

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Abstract

Wood is commonly used for residential heating, but there are limited evidence-based interventions for reducing wood smoke exposures in the indoor environment. The Asthma Randomized Trial of Indoor Wood Smoke (ARTIS) study was designed to assess the efficacy of residential interventions to reduce indoor PM exposure from wood stoves. As part of a three-arm randomized placebo-controlled trial, two household-level interventions were evaluated: wood stove changeouts and air filtration units. Exposure outcomes included indoor measures such as continuous PM2.5, particle counts, and carbon monoxide. Median indoor PM2.5 concentration was 17.5 μg/m3 in wood-burning homes prior to interventions. No significant reductions in PM2.5 concentrations were observed in the 40 homes receiving the placebo filter intervention. Sixteen homes received the wood stove changeout and showed no significant changes in PM2.5 or particle counts. PM2.5 concentrations were reduced by 68% in the filter intervention homes. Relative to placebo, air filtration unit homes had an overall PM2.5 reduction of 63% (95% CI: 47–75%). Relative to the wood stove changeout, the filtration unit intervention was more efficacious and less expensive, yet compliance issues indicated a need for the evaluation of additional strategies for improving indoor air quality in homes using wood stoves.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Carolyn Hester, Marcy McNamara, Luke Montrose, Johna Boulafentis, Stacey Harper, Kathrene Conway, and Nicole Swensgard for data collection efforts. We are also grateful to the participants and their families for the considerable time and effort put into the study. This research was supported by NIEHS (1R01ES016336–01 and 3R01ES016336–02S1), with partial support from NCRR (COBRE P20RR 017670). We thank John Balmes and Kirk Smith for their advice on study design, and 3M (Andy Fox and Kevin Kinzer) for advice and materials in the design of the placebo filter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Environmental Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA

    Tony J Ward, Erin O Semmens, Emily Weiler & Curtis W Noonan

  2. Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA

    Solomon Harrar

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  1. Tony J Ward
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Correspondence to Tony J Ward.

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Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology website

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Ward, T., Semmens, E., Weiler, E. et al. Efficacy of interventions targeting household air pollution from residential wood stoves. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 27, 64–71 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/jes.2015.73

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