Exploring time use as a co-benefit and potential modifier of environmental-focused clean cooking interventions

Abstract

TPS 901: Indoor air pollution, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 28, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Background/Aim: Efforts to promote clean-burning fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are often based on the idea that near-exclusive use could lead to air quality and health improvements. However, recognizing other potential benefits of LPG alongside health and environmental impacts could increase prioritization and investment in clean cooking interventions. This study investigated the effect of LPG adoption on time use and explored economic and quality of life implications. Methods: The research was based within the randomized controlled “Cardiopulmonary outcomes and Household Air Pollution” trial in Puno, Peru. Surveys conducted with 90 intervention participants receiving free LPG and 90 control participants cooking primarily with biomass explored time spent collecting biomass fuel, time spent cooking, number of meals cooked daily, perceptions of LPG cooking speed, and use of LPG time savings. Cooking time was also monitored with temperature sensors on all stoves. Qualitative interviews further explored perceptions and use of time savings. Results: Intervention participants using LPG nearly exclusively (>98% of all cooking minutes) spent 3.3 fewer hours cooking and 2.3 fewer hours collecting fuel per week compared to controls, while also cooking 1.2 more meals per day. 100% of participants reported that LPG cooks faster than biomass, and 100% used this time savings to work with livestock or in their fields; many also completed household chores and leisure activities. With LPG, other family members were more likely to cook and women could leave the kitchen while cooking, suggesting potential indirect benefits of LPG on exposure of primary cooks. Conclusions: In addition to environmental benefits, clean fuel interventions could also lead to economic and quality of life gains, through increased time for work, rest, and consumption of hot meals, and reduced arduous biomass fuel collection. Exploring time use could also facilitate the interpretation and contextualization of exposure data.