Home > Special Projects > Emissions Study

Field Burning and Emission Factor Development Studies

Cereal-Grain Residue Open-Field Burning Emissions Study. The purpose of this experiment was to determine emission factors for fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), and six BaP-related species from open-field burning of cereal-grain residue in eastern Washington. The study, sponsored by the Washington Department of Ecology, the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and conducted jointly by Air Sciences and the USDA Forest Service Missoula Fire Science Laboratory, was designed to quantify the baseline emissions from open-field burning of cereal-grain stubble in eastern Washington, and to investigate the impact of future alternative residue treatment and burning practices on both residue consumption and emissions. The results are being used to establish guidelines for reducing total emissions by the year 2006.

Turfgrass Residue Open-Field Burning Emissions Study. The purpose of this experiment was also to determine emission factors for fine particulate matter, carbon monoxide, benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), and six BaP-related species from open-field burning of bluegrass residue at two sites in northern Idaho and one site in eastern Washington. The study, funded by grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other sources and conducted jointly by Washington State University, Air Sciences Inc., and the USDA Forest Service Missoula Fire Science Laboratory, quantified the baseline emissions from open-field burning in bluegrass stubble and investigated the impact of future alternative residue treatment and burning practices on both residue consumption and emissions. These results are being used to establish guidelines for reducing total emissions from open-field burning of grass seed residue in the western United States.