This is in response to the Sun Journal article, “Smoke signals: Concerns about woodstove smoke prompt state review,” printed Nov. 24.

As a woodstove manufacturer and Maine business, Jøtul North America understands the importance of a cleaner air shed, but also recognizes the pitfalls that heavy legislation will ultimately have on Maine residents. With approximately 200 heating days per year in Maine, making it more difficult to alternatively heat a home is a move in the wrong direction.

As stated in the article, 20 percent of Maine’s energy comes from wood. With increased technology, we’ve been able to significantly reduce emissions put out by woodstoves. Rather than discouraging wood as a heating source, we should be focusing on how to encourage individuals to switch out their older woodstoves for more efficient models.

Over the summer, we partnered with our woodstove dealers in a national woodstove change-out program. More than 400 authorized Jøtul dealers across North America participated to encourage consumers to trade out older woodstoves for newer, cleaner burning models.

More than 1,400 stoves were exchanged during the program, for a reduction in emissions of nearly 44.4 million grams (48.9 tons) per year, based on an average burning time of 12 hours per day for 100 days per year. Older woodstoves can emit 30 grams of smoke per hour. Newer Jøtul models emit around 3.7 grams per hour.

Of the woodstoves changed out, 146 of those units were changed in Maine. Costumers were offered up to a $300 credit toward an EPA-certified Jøtul model when dropping off their old woodstoves. Exchanged stoves were rendered unusable and recycled.

In an added effort toward cleaner air, Jøtul NA offered to donate $10 for every stove exchanged through the program to the American Lung Association on behalf of participating dealers. The total amount to be donated is $14,500.

Jøtul self-funded this change-out program, which was the first manufacturer-led change-out of its kind in our industry. Our hope is that the success of this year’s change-out program will encourage other manufacturers to be creative and work toward cleaning up our air shed.

Moving forward, our plan is to expand on our 2013 program to make it even more accessible to Maine residents and continue to improve air quality in our state.

Bret Watson, president, Jøtul North America, Gorham

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