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Abstract
Globally, 41% of households, over 2.8 billion people, rely on solid fuels (coal and biomass) for cooking and heating. In developing countries in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa where these fuels are predominantly used, women who are customarily responsible for cooking, and their young children, are most exposed to the resulting air pollution. Solid fuels are still in widespread use and it appears that intervention efforts are not keeping pace with population growth in developing countries. Here we pinpoint the challenges and identify opportunities for addressing household air pollution while mitigating global climate change and promoting the sustainable development goals. We recommend the following actions: implementation of the WHO indoor air quality guidelines on household fuel combustion; effective promotion and dissemination of improved cookstoves through formation of country alliances for clean cookstoves; expansion of liquefied petroleum gas production facilities and distribution networks; harnessing renewable energy potential; promotion of biogas production at both household and community level; ensuring improved ventilation of homes through education and enforcement of building standards; and exploiting opportunities in the health and other sectors for changing health-damaging cooking behaviour.
Highlights
41% of households, over 2.8 billion people, rely on solid fuels for cooking and heating.[1]
Women who are customarily responsible for cooking, and their young children, are most exposed to the resulting high levels of air pollutants released including carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM)
Other health outcomes associated with household air pollution, for which evidence is less robust, include pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer,[10,11] otitis media,[12] asthma,[13,14] tuberculosis,[15] neonatal mortality[16] and nutritional deficit.[17]
Summary
41% of households, over 2.8 billion people, rely on solid fuels (coal and biomass) for cooking and heating.[1]. Advanced combustion biomass stoves show substantial emissions’ reductions over traditional stoves, but cannot yet match emission levels from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).[34] In many countries, including China, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya and Sri Lanka, locally manufactured stoves, which are usually cheap, dominate the market These stoves are fuel efficient, but still have high air pollution emissions. This study reported substantial reductions in kitchen PM (51–80%) and CO (74–80%) levels.[45] GACC-funded trials are presently underway in Ghana and Nepal to evaluate the impact of LPG and other clean cooking interventions on child survival outcomes These trials will provide further evidence on the feasibility of LPG usage for reducing household air pollution and associated health risks.
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