When it comes to health issues, there are some where we can “wait and see” while others need an immediate and aggressive response. When the threat is to our lungs due to air pollution, we can’t afford to wait and see. That’s why the American Lung Association of Maine has identified the use of outdoor wood boilers as a serious lung health hazard requiring immediate action.

Air pollution is a significant problem in Maine and a serious health risk, especially for the more than 150,000 people with lung disease. At least $150 million in health costs are incurred every year in Maine just as a result of lung disease. A portion of this cost is the result of air pollution. Maine also has the unwanted distinction of having one of the highest lung disease rates in the country. This combination creates a public health crisis that cannot be ignored.

Though Maine alone can’t control the air pollution that comes to us from the Midwest and Canada, we can control local sources and set a strong example for others to follow. In recent years Maine jumped far ahead of other states in our aggressive approach to reducing tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. Today we are watching many states and even other nations follow our lead and implement the life-saving strategies we undertook over a decade ago.

It’s time to stop talking about reducing air pollution and start doing something about it. It’s time to demand that outdoor wood boilers be made to meet EPA emission standards like all other wood stoves.

At first, outdoor wood boilers might sound like a sensible and benign way to heat a home. But they are actually dangerous polluters. For those who’ve seen one in operation, this probably won’t surprise you because of the tremendous amount of smoke that is produced. The average outdoor wood boiler emits over 70 grams of particle pollution per hour. That’s over 15 times the EPA standard for other wood stoves. They often burn at low temperatures, smolder and release soot and smoke close to the ground. They are large enough to burn trash, demolition waste and other dirty fuels unsuitable for residential combustion.

Yet despite these dangerous characteristics they have been give a free ride by EPA. There are no federal regulations to limit the amount of pollution outdoor wood boilers generate.

Imagine having two heavy-duty diesel trucks idling in your back yard. That’s the same as operating an outdoor wood boiler. But the threat is not limited to the user and his or her immediate family. The pollution generated from outdoor wood boilers can travel away from the stack (especially when the wind is right) and tends to settle in valleys and low-lying areas. Vermont and Connecticut have tried setback and stack height requirements, but these feel-good measures produce no significant health protection.

Unfortunately, this problem will only get worse if we don’t act now. The number of outdoor wood boilers sold in the U.S. tripled between 2004 and 2005. Not surprisingly, the number of complaints registered with the Maine Bureau of Air Quality has also increased dramatically in 2005 and 2006. The time for action is now.

The American Lung Association of Maine believes that burning wood does not have to be a threat to your health. It is a renewable resource that is a safe and efficient fuel when burned properly. We are urging the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to require that all wood burning devices sold in Maine meet EPA wood stove emission standards, no matter what their design. That’s what the State of Washington has done. Until manufacturers take responsible action and redesign their products so they are cleaner and safer for owners, family, and neighbors, these products should not be sold. At least some manufacturers are attempting to improve their stoves. We urge them to move quickly. Another heating season should not go by without significant improvements to these dangerous products. Breathing healthy air is everyone’s right.

Edward F. Miller is the chief executive officer of the American Lung Association of Maine. Paul A. Shapero is a physician in Bangor and member of the association’s board of directors.