Health and Safety Benefits of Replacing Kerosene Candles by Solar Lamps: Evidence from Uganda, 2012.
Chishio Furukawa
One billion people live without electricity and rely on dim kerosenebased lighting which emits indoor air pollution and poses fire risks. This paper shows that there can be modest benefits in air-quality-related health and substantial benefits in fire safety if non-electrified households replace their kerosene candles with solar panel-charged lamps. In a randomized experiment, children who received solar lamps had modestly better health, especially during their exam periods compared with others who were exposed to air pollution from kerosene candles. Kerosene candles also appear to be responsible for 70 percent of fire incidents and 80 percent of burn injuries.
