Township regulates wood burners

KINGSTON TWP. – Township officials voted at a special meeting Tuesday to enact an ordinance to regulate the use of outdoor wood burners, also known as “wood boilers” or “solid fuel furnaces.”

There are five known appliances in the township. The ordinance, which goes into effect on April 25, requires owners of existing furnaces to register their units with the township and have it inspected by the township’s code enforcement officer to determine compliance with its manufacturers’ installation specifications and use instructions.

The inspection must be made within 90 days of the effective date of the ordinance. It also requires owners of new burners to purchase a permit in the amount of $40 and have the unit inspected within 30 days of the installation.

Sandra Jackson protested the ordinance. Her Belford Street home is adjacent to a wood boiler, owned by Ed Gryskevicz, of North Lehigh Street. Jackson, who’s an asthmatic, said she hasn’t had to take her asthma medication in years, but she’s recently had to go back on it because the smoke from Gryskevicz’s burner has aggravated her condition.

“Our health is being jeopardized by allowing wood burners to burn in the township,” she said.

Gryskevicz said he purchased his burner two years ago because it became too expensive to heat his all-electric home. “I would have replaced my existing furnace if I knew it would cause a problem,” he said, adding that he got the OK from Bill Eck, the township’s zoning officer, prior to purchasing the burner.

Board of supervisors chairman Dave Brodhead pointed out that Eck gave the go-ahead because there wasn’t an ordinance regarding outdoor burners at the time. Gryskevicz assured that going forward, he will only burn hard wood and coal, which produces less smoke.

Township solicitor Ben Jones assured the residents that the township could suspend a permit if emissions from an appliance is deemed a public nuisance. Violations of the ordinance will also result in a fine of up to $500 plus prosecution costs.