Second Opinion: The Medical Profession Diagnoses Biomass Incineration (Sept 2011)
Biomass Incineration has "Unacceptable Health Risks" and Drives Up Health Care Costs (Compilation of Anti-Biomass Statements from Medical and Health Associations)
American Lung Association Public Policy Position on Energy (June 11, 2011)
"The American Lung Association does not support biomass combustion for electricity production, a category that includes wood, wood products, agricultural residues or forest wastes, and potentially highly toxic feedstocks, such as construction and demolition waste. If biomass is combusted, state-of-the-art pollution controls must be required."
Statement from American Lung Association in Florida (April 2011) opposing biomass burners and noting weaker pollution standards in rural areas and the increased vulnerability of Florida's older population.
American Lung Association hails EPA report on "The Benefits and Costs of the Clean Air Act from 1990 to 2020" (March 2011)
Letter from the American Lung Association in Georgia (Dec 2010) detailing harms of particulate matter and other pollution from biomass burners.
2015 Letter from American Lung Association in the District of Columbia opposing the District's contracting to burn waste in a large trash incinerator in Lorton, VA (a campaign that Energy Justice Network won in July 2015)
Washington State Medical Association (Dec 2010)
"...urge state and local government to adopt policies to minimize the public health impacts of new and existing sources of air pollution."
Mason County General Hospital active medical staff letter to Mason Thurston Medical Society in Washington (Aug 2010)
"We are in opposition to the currently proposed biomass power plants based on the grounds that these facilities pose unacceptable health risks."
American Heart Association - Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease (May 2010)
"Exposure to PM <2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) over a few hours to weeks can trigger cardiovascular disease–related mortality and nonfatal events; longer-term exposure (eg, a few years) increases the risk for cardiovascular mortality to an even greater extent than exposures over a few days and reduces life expectancy within more highly exposed segments of the population by several months to a few years; reductions in PM levels are associated with decreases in cardiovascular mortality within a time frame as short as a few years; and many credible pathological mechanisms have been elucidated that lend biological plausibility to these findings. [...] ...overall evidence is consistent with a causal relationship between PM2.5 exposure and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. [...] PM2.5 exposure is deemed a modifiable factor that contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality."
American Academy of Family Physicians (April 2010) letter expressing concern about poultry litter incinerators in North Carolina.
North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (April 2010) letter expressing concern about proposed poultry litter incinerators.
Physicians for Social Responsibility / Pioneer Valley (MA) (Feb 2010)
"the biomass power plants being proposed for several Pioneer Valley locations would contribute to particulate air pollution emissions in a region that already has pollution problems, and therefore we oppose the construction and operation of such plants"
Massachusetts Medical Society (Feb 2010)
"Massachusetts Medical Society believes that biomass combustion electricity generation plants pose an unacceptable public health risk..."
Florida Medical Association (Dec 2009)
"the Florida Medical Association urges state government to adopt policies to minimize the approval and construction of new incinerators including mass-burn, gasification, plasma, pyrolysis, biomass, refuse-derived fuel and other incinerator technologies, and to develop a plan to retire existing outdated incinerators"
American Lung Association of New England - Biomass Position Statement (Dec 2009)
Massachusetts Medical Society Adopts Policy Opposing Biomass Power Plants (Dec 2009)
Read full text of the resolution: Reducing Air Pollution and Promoting Public Health by Opposing Biomass Power Plants
Read how it came about: MMS Opposes Biomass Power, Cites Health Concerns
American Lung Association (MA) (Nov 2009)
Letter opposing renewable energy credits or any other preferential treatment for biomass in energy or climate legislation.
Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (Nov 2009)
Testimony in Opposition to the Building of a Construction and Demolition Wood Waste Incinerator in Springfield, MA
American Lung Association (June 2009)
"The Lung Association urges that the [climate] legislation not promote the combustion of biomass."
Capital Medical Society (September 2008) expressing concern over particulate matter from Biomass Gas & Electric proposal.
Florida Medical Association policy on Resource Conservation, Waste Recycling, Health Risks Caused by Incinerators (August 2008)
"... urges state government to adopt policies to minimize the approval and construction of new incinerators including massburn, gasification, plasma, pyrolysis, biomass, refuse-derived fuel and other incinerator technologies, and to develop a plan to retire existing outdated incinerators"
Erie County (PA) Medical Society (July 2008) Statement on Proposed Tire Incinerator