Monday, October 19, 2015

Air quality, wood smoke, and health

Congratulations to Oxford Public Health on the recent news as reported by Heather Rivers:  "Smoking, asthma rates drop".
The article ends with a quote from Susan MacIsaac (Manager, Health Promotion):  "Air quality has been a priority in this community".
Oxford Health has recently updated its website to include information on air quality in general, and open air burning in particular.    The County joins the Governments of Canada and Ontario, The Canadian Lung Association, the Canadian Cancer Society, and the Heart & Stroke Foundation in publicizing the dangers of wood smoke to human health and to the environment.
The best advice offered is also the simplest:  DO NOT BURN WOOD.
Unfortunately for residents of Woodstock and Ingersoll, existing bylaws permit the burning of wood in backyards.
Could we ask our elected officials to join with the County in making air quality a priority, and rid us of open air burning?

The above was published as a letter to the editor in the Sentinel Review on October 1, 2015, with the headline:  DO NOT BURN WOOD.