Ask Patch: Can Restaurants Grill on Spare the Air Alert Days?

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On still, calm days without much wind, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) often calls a Spare the Air Day, asking people to minimize driving and other activities that pollute the air. Compliance is voluntary.

During winter, November through February, the district can exert special regulatory teeth on high pollution days by calling a Spare the Air Alert, forbidding wood fires. This includes fires made with wood, fire logs, pellets or other solid fuels.

Wood fires emit particulate pollution which is particularly harmful to the lungs and respiratory system.

And so, asks Patch reader Neil Ramos, do restaurants with grills have to comply?

He asked, "I'm wondering about how spare the air days work. I'm not supposed to barbeque with charcoal or light a fire in the fireplace on a Spare the Air day. Are smoky food places also prohibited from emitting smoke on those days?"

An easy answer: food preparation is exempt

Food preparation is exempt from the Spare the Air wood-burning regulations, said Ralph Borrmann, a spokesman for the Air District.

"It does not prohibit the cooking of food," he said.

In what may come as a surprise to Ramos, this exemption applies to homes, parks, or any setting when food is being prepared, as well as restaurants, Borrmann said. (Ramos can barbecue at home on a Spare the Air day, if he wishes.)

Borrmann said he wasn’t aware of any controversy around the food exemption. He points out that restaurants, as well as other businesses, can be cited for other pollution violations any time of year, such as excessive smoke.

"Anyone can call and complain," he said. The district investigates complaints.

It gets more complicated: restaurants must comply with other grilling regulations

While restaurants aren’t prohibited from grilling with wood products during a Spare the Air Alert, they’re subject to other air quality grilling requirements year-round.

The regulations are a bit complex, applying only to restaurants that buy and cook sizeable quantities of beef, but essentially require these major meat-grillers to use grilling appliances that are equipped with emission prevention controls.

There are two main types of commercial grills: chain-driven and under-fired charbroilers. Restaurants with chain-driven charbroilers must comply with the appliance regulations if they cook 500 lbs. or more of beef a week. The threshold for under-fired charbroilers is 800 lbs. of beef a week.

Further, the grillers must be certified by the manufacturer to comply with air district’s regulations. And restaurants are required to register their equipment with the district.

This applies to grilling with any kind of heat—electric, gas, or wood.

"Charbroilers produce air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds and particulate matter," says an air district advisory on the regulations.

A sampling of local grillers

When asked if a few local grilling joints are on the up-and-up with their pollution controls, Borrmann did a little checking.

• , 437 San Pablo Ave., Albany: Too small for the requirement.
• Everett & Jones BBQ, 1955 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley: Too small.
• Burger King, 6021 Central Ave., El Cerrito: Compliant.

Everybody makes mistakes ... ! If there's something in this article you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, give editor Emilie Raguso a call at 510-459-8325 or shoot her an e-mail at emilier@patch.com.