NELMA was one of 2 agencies accredited by the ALSC to provide certification for wood pellets that chose to exhibit at this 
year’s annual conference of the Pellet Fuels Institute. The gathering of the pellet industry was held July 27-29 at the Omni Orlando Hotel with approximately 180 business-related individuals in attendance. As one of 34 exhibitors at the Convention, NELMA touted its pellet certification and inspection program to the manufacturer representatives during the networking time slots dedicated to the trade show floor. “NELMA’s wood pellet inspectors are ready when you are” was the overall message presented to inquirers, supplemented with copies of the Association’s Qualification Process and Inspection Procedures booklet.
“This event enhances our goal of raising and re-enforcing NELMA’s visibility within the pellet industry regarding our available inspection services,” according to Jeff Easterling, NELMA President, “however, after 3 years into the implementation of the program we continue to see a reluctance by manufacturers to pull the trigger in obtaining certification to the PFI Standard.” Easterling added, “This could change when/if the EPA Proposed New Source Performance Standards for Residential Wood Heaters is officially adopted and enforced, scheduled for a final decision in late 2014 or early 2015. Contained within the proposal is the requirement to use pellets produced under the PFI Standard.”
The EPA proposal sets guidelines to make new residential wood heaters significantly cleaner than currently required, through updates to its Clean Air Act standards for residential wood heaters. The proposed updates would strengthen the emissions standards for new wood stoves, while establishing federal air standards for other new wood heaters, including outdoor and indoor wood-fired boilers (also known as hydronic heaters). The proposed rule would not affect existing woodstoves and other wood-burning heaters currently in use in people’s homes.
Stay tuned.
