The Great Lakes States wood stove changeout program in 2000 and 2001 was an early success story and broke new ground with several tactics that are now part of all model programs.  It was launched in response to an environmental challenge that threatened both air and water quality in the region.  For years, one of the biggest issues of concern to environmental officials in the Great Lakes area has been the toxic substance benzo(a)pyrene, a by-product of wood burning and other combustion processes, including automobile and truck exhaust, industry smoke stacks, and power plant emissions.   

In addition to adversely affecting air quality, benzo(a)pyrene impacts water-dependent ecosystems by filtering down into the region’s lakes and rivers.  State data showed that residential wood smoke was responsible for a significant fraction of all benzo(a)pyrene released into the atmosphere from stationary sources in the Great Lakes area, making it an ideal candidate for a wood stove changeout. 

The Great Lakes States program was led by the North Central Hearth Products Association (now known as NCHPBA), in partnership with the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA) and the other industry affiliates, MidStates HPBA and Midwest HPBA and received support from EPA, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Minnesota Pollution Control Authority (PCA), and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), as well as various other state government agencies.  Its coverage area included Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, western New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and the Georgian Bay region of Ontario.                      

To make it easy for consumers to changeout, NCHPBA  and HPBA recruited 124 retailers and 57 manufacturers to participate in the program.  They used targeted mailings, postcards and newsletters to recruit participating retailers and manufacturers and update them on program developments leading up to the campaign.  NCHPBA and HPBA also reached out to numerous state environmental agencies, utility companies and recyclers to provide funding or services to support campaign implementation.  

The centerpiece of the program was a diversified public awareness campaign that educated citizens about the need to reduce excessive wood smoke, and encouraged them to change out old, dirty wood stoves and fireplace inserts for cleaner-burning, EPA-certified hearth appliances.  The campaign kicked off with news conferences in three states that generated widespread media coverage about the program.  

Other elements of the public awareness campaign included:

• Campaign web site
• Toll-free number for consumer inquiries
• Promotional kits for retailers with a banner, hang tags for stoves, tracking slips, program background and tips for promoting the campaign
• Press kits and media lists for media outreach
• Packets of consumer information  developed, printed and mailed
• Ad slicks and radio copy

• During the three-month campaign, 2,295 consumers called the hotline requesting information and there were over 200,000 hits on the web site, resulting in 1,287 reported changeouts to EPA-certified wood stoves, gas hearth products, and pellet stoves.
• Changeouts can improve both air and water quality, and can do so in multi-state regions, not just individual communities.
• A strong public education effort is critical to the success of a changeout program.

Click here to view a detailed report on the Great Lakes States changeout, or contact:  

Karen Teske-Osborne
Executive Director
North Central HPBA
608-829-2580
nchpba@chorus.net