Together let’s keep our resources clean, safe

EPA: what’s that?

The EPA has been around for 31 years now, and we’ve all heard it mentioned a time or two, but what is it exactly? Born in 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) aimed to “consolidate in one agency a variety of federal research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection.”

From the start, EPA acted primarily as the nation’s environmental watchdog, ensuring that industries met legal requirements to control pollution. Later, EPA developed theory, tools and practices which allowed them to not only control pollution, but also prevent it from happening.

Today, EPA aims to “make sustainability the next level of environmental protection by drawing on advances in science and technology to protect human health and the environment, and promoting innovative green business practices.”

WoodMaster is EPA-savvy.

For hundreds of years, Americans have burned wood as a primary source of heat. Even though it’s the cleanest way to produce heat, burning wood does still affect the carbon footprint. Through the Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Association (HPBA), WoodMaster works closely with EPA on new testing standards and with state and local governments on appropriate regulations to encourage cleaner burning outdoor furnaces. WoodMaster and other responsible manufacturers are ensuring furnaces are properly installed to produce clean, safe heat.

Often thought of as a regulatory agency, the EPA enforces legislation pertaining to the American environment. Any potentially pollutant-emitting industry is subject to EPA regulation and inspection, and myriad industries work with the EPA to maintain high environmental standards. At WoodMaster, we fit into this category.

Measures like the Clean Air Act, Burn Wise Program and Outdoor Wood-fired Hydronic Heater Program are all EPA-enforced. WoodMaster products must meet the strict emission standards and offer consumers industry-leading efficiency. So, for us, staying updated on EPA standards and regularly testing products are important.

Picturing the future

Clean air. Clean water. Safe places to live and work. A beautiful natural environment. The EPA works to reduce overall pollution and unsafe practices in the U.S. so that future generations can continue to enjoy these luxuries.

‘EPA: Why it matters to you’ will be a continual series on Unplugged. Our goal is to teach you about the ‘who, what and why’ of EPA, how to make ‘cents’ of all the information out there and help you reach energy independency. 

 Up next: learn what it means to become EPA-Qualified.