Maximizing the benefits of improved cookstoves: moving from acquisition to correct and consistent use

August 8, 2014 · 0 comments

Maximizing the benefits of improved cookstoves: moving from acquisition to correct and consistent use. Global Health: Science and Practice, Advance Access, 2014.

Authors: Anita Shankar, Michael Johnson, Ethan Kay, Raj Pannu, Theresa Beltramo, Elisa Derby, Stephen Harrell, Curt Davis, Helen Petach

ICS must meet consumer needs and preferences if they are to lead to correct and consistent use and to successfully displace traditional stoves. This is also necessary for reducing household air pollution and fuel consumption, and therefore providing maximum health and environmental benefits.However, consumer needs and preferences are complex and are influenced by many contextual and social factors that require a deep understanding of culture, going beyond technology and economics.Successful ICS business models will need to be sensitive to cultural practices in both the design of the product and marketing strategies.Key considerations that can aid in large-scale ICS adoption include:

Recognition that stove adoption does notequate with stove acquisition and that long-term consistent and continuous userequires consumer buy-in and understanding of the value proposition that ICS can provide

  • Marketing campaigns that engage the consumer by identifying key attributes of importance to the consumer, rather than long lists of attributes that do not necessarily influence the consumer’s decision
  • Ensuring effective user engagement by including demonstrations, training, and post-sales support
  • Addressing intra-household gender dynamics to enhance equity in purchasing decisions
  • Including women more effectively throughout the cookstove value chain by improving both resources and agency-based support
  • Identification and respect for the cultural significance of cooking food
  • Understanding the actual-use scenarios of the stove (for example, boiling water for teaversus frying flat breads)

An annotated bibliography of July 2014 cookstove/HAP studies

July 30, 2014 · 0 comments

An Annotated Bibliography of July 2014 Peer-Review  Cookstove/HAP Studies

Below are citations, abstracts and links to seven peer-review July 2014 studies on cookstoves and household air pollution.

The impact of the household decision environment on fuel choice behavior, Energy Economics, Volume 44, July 2014. Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2014.04.008.
Authors: Bianca van der Kroon, Roy Brouwer, Pieter J.H. van Beukering,

Consumer preferences for fuels and alternative cookstove technologies in Kenya are examined, focusing on household internal and external determinants driving choice behavior in a choice experiment. The potential for a transition towards cleaner and more efficient fuels and technologies is assessed by zooming in on three fuel-stove combinations. We find substantial demand and positive willingness to pay for the fuel-stove combinations in three locations representing different decision environments. Demand is significantly higher in the peri-urban and the resource abundant rural location than in the resource scarce rural location. The presence of better developed consumer markets for fuels in these locations functions as an important driver for cookstove adoption. Although charcoal and ethanol stoves are preferred over improved firewood stoves, continued firewood usage is expected. Energy switching behavior cannot be substantiated. Instead, energy stacking is more likely, where charcoal and ethanol add to and extend a household’s energy portfolio.

Carbon monoxide concentrations in outdoor wood-fired kitchens in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso-implications for women’s and children’s health. Environ Monit Assess, July 2014. Link: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10661-014-3712-y
Authors: Thorsson S, Holmer B, et al.

We examined cooking habits and self-reported health in 31 households with outdoor open wood fires in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, using structured interviews. On average, CO concentrations were 43 % higher in kitchens located in closed yards than in those located in open yards, showing that fireplace location affected the levels. Eye irritation and coughing among women and children were reported by 30 % of the households. Based on previously reported relations between CO concentrations and fine particles (<2.5 μm), the exposure to biomass smoke appears to be high enough to pose a considerable health risk among women and children in households with outdoor open wood fires. The results suggest that burning should be limited between sunset and dawn and in areas with limited ventilation to reduce pollutions levels.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Household Biomass Fuel Use among a Periurban Population in Malawi. Ann Am Thorac Soc July 2014. Abstract.
Authors: Piddock KC, et al.

This large cross-sectional study has identified extensive use of biomass fuels in a typical sub-Saharan Africa periurban population in which women and people of lower socioeconomic status are disproportionately affected. Biomass fuel use is likely to be a major driver of existing communicable respiratory disease and the emerging noncommunicable disease (especially respiratory and cardiovascular) epidemic in this region. Our data will help inform the rationale for specific intervention studies and the development of appropriately targeted public health strategies to tackle this important and poverty-related global health problem.

Improved test method for evaluation of bio-mass cook-stoves, Energy, Volume 71, 15 July 2014. Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2014.04.101.
Authors: P. Raman, N.K. Ram, J. Murali,

More than two-thirds of the world’s population is relying on biomass fuel to meet their cooking and heating energy-requirements. Traditional biomass stoves operate at low efficiency and cause severe health problems and pollute the environment. Due to higher quantity of fuel use, these cookstoves increase the burden on fuel management. Several test protocols are being used across the world for evaluating the performance of cookstoves. One of the major challenges of existing protocols is to narrow down the gap between the test results obtained under lab conditions and actual cooking conditions. Hence, there is a need to evolve an improved test method that can reflect the stove performance under field conditions. This paper is aimed to reduce the gaps in test methodology in such a manner that the test results obtained in the lab are comparable with the results of actual cooking carried out in the kitchen.

Personal and Indoor PM2.5 Exposure from Burning Solid Fuels in Vented and Unvented Stoves in a Rural Region of China with a High Incidence of Lung Cancer. Env Sci Technol, Jul 17, 2014.
Link: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es502201s
Authors: Hu W, Reiss B, et al.

The combustion of biomass and coal is the dominant source of household air pollution (HAP) in China, and contributes significantly to the total burden of disease in the Chinese population. Mixed effect models indicated that fuel type, ventilation, number of windows, season, and burning time per stove were the main factors related to personal PM2.5 exposure. Lower PM2.5 among vented stoves compared with unvented stoves and firepits is of interest as it parallels the observation of reduced risks of malignant and nonmalignant lung diseases in the region.

Emission of metals from pelletized and uncompressed biomass fuels combustion in rural household stoves in china. Sci Rep, July 8, 2014.
Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4085603/
Authors: Zhang W, Tong Y, et al.

Effort of reducing CO2 emissions in developing countries may require an increasing utilization of biomass fuels. Biomass pellets seem well-suited for residential biomass markets. However, there is limited quantitative information on pollutant emissions from biomass pellets burning, especially those measured in real applications. In this study, biomass pellets and raw biomass fuels were burned in a pellet burner and a conventional stove respectively, in rural households, and metal emissions were determined. This study found that moisture, volatile matter and modified combustion efficiency were the important factors affecting metal emissions. Comparisons of the mass-based and task-based EFs found that biomass pellets produced higher metal emissions than the same amount of raw biomass. However, metal emissions from pellets were not higher in terms of unit energy delivered.

Effect of Indoor Air Pollution from Biomass and Solid fuel Combustion on Symptoms of Preeclampsia/Eclampsia in Indian Women. Indoor Air, July 2014.
Link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ina.12144/abstract
Authors: Agrawal S, Yamamoto S.

Available evidence concerning the association between indoor air pollution (IAP) from biomass and solid fuel combustion and preeclampsia/eclampsia is not available in developing countries. We investigated the association between exposure to IAP from biomass and solid fuel combustion and symptoms of preeclampsia/eclampsia in Indian women by analyzing cross-sectional data from India’s third National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3, 2005-06). Results indicate that women living in households using biomass fuels have two times higher likelihood of preeclampsia/eclampsia symptoms than do those living in households using cleaner fuels, even after controlling for the effects of a number of potentially confounding factors. We observed increased risk of preeclampsia/eclampsia with exposure to IAP from biomass and solid fuel combustion in a large nationally representative sample of Indian women. These findings have important program and policy implications for countries such as India, where large proportions of the population rely on polluting biomass fuels for cooking and space heating.

Indonesian Clean Cookstoves Alliance

July 21, 2014 · 0 comments

WELCOME TO THE INDONESIA CLEAN COOKSTOVES ALLIANCE (ICCA)

Indonesia Clean Cookstoves Alliance (ICCA) was established to support the Indonesia Clean Stove Initiative (CSI), a program initiated by the Directorate of Bioenergy, Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation,Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. ICCA will serve as a platform, for all parties concerned with the issue of Household Air Pollution, to exchange and share information, knowledge, experience, technology, in the effort of scaling up household access to clean cooking solutions. ICCA was formed with support from the World Bank and the Directorate of Bioenergy, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and with funding support provided by the Australian International Development Aid (AusAid) and Asia Sustainable and Alternative Energy Program (ASTAE).

Household Ventilation May Reduce Effects of Indoor Air Pollutants for Prevention of Lung Cancer

July 21, 2014 · 0 comments

Household Ventilation May Reduce Effects of Indoor Air Pollutants for Prevention of Lung Cancer: A Case-Control Study in a Chinese Population. PLoS One, July 2014.

Zi-Yi Jin, et al.

Background – Although the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified various indoor air pollutants as carcinogenic to humans, few studies evaluated the role of household ventilation in reducing the impact of indoor air pollutants on lung cancer risk.

Objectives – To explore the association between household ventilation and lung cancer.

Methods – A population-based case-control study was conducted in a Chinese population from 2003 to 2010. Epidemiologic and household ventilation data were collected using a standardized questionnaire. Unconditional logistic regression was employed to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORadj) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results – Among 1,424 lung cancer cases and 4,543 healthy controls, inverse associations were observed for good ventilation in the kitchen (ORadj = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.75, 0.98), bedroom (ORadj= 0.90, 95% CI: 0.79, 1.03), and both kitchen and bedroom (ORadj = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.75, 1.00). Stratified analyses showed lung cancer inversely associated with good ventilation among active smokers (ORadj = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.72, 1.00), secondhand smokers at home (ORadj = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.94), and those exposed to high-temperature cooking oil fumes (ORadj = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.68, 0.99). Additive interactions were found between household ventilation and secondhand smoke at home as well as number of household pollutant sources.

Conclusions – A protective association was observed between good ventilation of households and lung cancer, most likely through the reduction of exposure to indoor air pollutants, indicating ventilation may serve as one of the preventive measures for lung cancer, in addition to tobacco cessation.
 

Success of Alcohol Based Cooking Fuels for Reducing Household Air Pollution

July 21, 2014 · 0 comments

Success of Alcohol Based Cooking Fuels for Reducing Household Air Pollution. APHA Annual Meeting, Tuesday, November 18, 2014 : 10:50 AM – 11:10 AM.

Megan Graham, MPH , School of Public Health/Center for Healthy Development, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA
Gulce Askin , Project Gaia Inc., Gettysburg, PA
Brady Luceno , Project Gaia Inc., Gettysburg, PA

Background. Over 3 billion people worldwide rely on biomass such as firewood, charcoal, or dung for their cooking needs. The use of biomass fuels emits high levels of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) leading to pneumonia, acute lower respiratory infections, COPD, lung cancer, heart disease, and blindness. It is estimated that household air pollution (HAP) causes 3.5 million premature deaths annually. HAP is a top risk factors for ill-health globally and it is crucial to explore new cookstove and fuel interventions that reduce the burden of HAP and improve the health of women and children.

Research: This presentation explores the use of ethanol cooking fuel in Madagascar to reduce exposure to HAP and related illness. As part of a three year World Bank funded study, two communities in Madagascar (coastal and highland) were provided ethanol cookstoves. Following the intervention, ethanol cookstoves significantly reduced women’s exposure to CO in both regions (75% highland; 54% coastal) and children’s exposure by 60% in the highland location (non-significant reduction by 14% coastal). Households with ethanol stoves saw a significant reduction of headaches (93%) and eye irritation (72%) among women and a significant reduction in adult burns (74%) and child burns (64%). Modeling future uptake of ethanol stoves and pollutant reduction demonstrated a relative risk reduction for ALRIs among children, COPD among adults, and ischemic heart disease. The ethanol stove saved an average of 2.5 hours per day of cooking over traditional fuels. No other stove examined saw significant HAP reductions need to improve health.

Conclusion: Alcohol fuels and cookstoves have the potential to significantly reduce HAP and illness that may result from HAP exposure. Additional solutions other than solid fuel cookstoves are needed to make a significant health impact.

Addressing Refugee Health and Safety through Gender-Specific Interventions: Clean Ethanol Stoves Fuel as a Tool for Protection and Prevention

July 21, 2014 · 0 comments

Addressing Refugee Health and Safety through Gender-Specific Interventions: Clean Ethanol Stoves Fuel as a Tool for Protection and Prevention. APHA Annual Conference – Monday, November 17, 2014 : 1:00 PM – 1:15 PM

Authors: Gulce Askin , Project Gaia Inc., Gettysburg, PA
Brady Luceno , Project Gaia Inc., Gettysburg, PA
Megan Graham, MPH , Center for Healthy Development; Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA

Household energy use is an urgent public health issue in humanitarian settings where resources are extremely scarce. Reliance on traditional biomass fuels (firewood, dung and charcoal) for all cooking needs is common. The environmental impact of fuelwood gathering and overharvesting is significant. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the health burdens of polluting fuels.

Thus, a gender-specific approach may be required for the implementation of successful household energy projects. Two dimensions of health must be considered; refugee security and the prevention of Gender Based Violence during fuel collection, and the environmental health reduction of exposure to pollutants during indoor cooking.

Gaia Association, an implementing partner to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) implements a clean ethanol cookstove and fuel program in the Jijiga Somali camps in Ethiopia. The program has made significant advancements in refugee health and security. These results were reflected in surveys and narrative accounts collected from 2005-2009, as well as ongoing monitoring and evaluation. Ethanol stoves save on average two fuel collection trips per week providing significant timesavings over firewood. Indoor air pollution monitoring showed that alcohol stoves achieved an 85% reduction of Particulate Matter (PM) emissions (99% in the lab) over traditional wood fires and a 93% reduction of CO in the refugee camps (93% in the lab).

A (new) cultural turn toward solar cooking—Evidence from six case studies across India and Burkina Faso

July 21, 2014 · 0 comments

A (new) cultural turn toward solar cooking—Evidence from six case studies across India and Burkina Faso. Energy Research & Social Science, Volume 2, June 2014, Pages 49–58.

Author: Pia Piroschka Otte.

Solar cooking can generally be described as a way to use the sun’s energy for cooking. Despite its multiple benefits as a clean, modular, simple source of energy, the implementation of solar cookers is not as widespread as one would hope. In the literature it is argued that solar cookers are not adopted because they are often considered to be culturally disruptive. This paper shines a new light on the cultural dynamics of cooking by showcasing the social acceptance of solar cookers. Six cases are presented from two different countries, Burkina Faso and India where a particular type of solar cooker (Scheffler reflectors) was installed among bakeries, shea nut butter producers, and steam kitchens. These cases demonstrate how cultural factors can be adoption-enhancing or limiting in different contexts. In essence, the paper finds that solar cookers are successfully implemented where they conform to underlying cultural factors. The study concludes that by implementing solar cookers as part of an existing socio-cultural framework, solar cookers move away from an image of a mere foreign technology to an integrated part of the target society.

Non-Invasive Measurement of Carbon Monoxide in Rural Indian Woman Exposed to Different Cooking Fuel Smoke

July 21, 2014 · 0 comments

Non-Invasive Measurement of Carbon Monoxide in Rural Indian Woman Exposed to Different Cooking Fuel Smoke. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 2014.

Authors: Vinod Joon, et al.

In India more than 70% of the population use biomass fuels for cooking. Women, who traditionally carry out the cooking in this culture, experience the highest lifetime Carbon Monoxide (CO) exposure due to the burning of such fuels in traditional stoves. CO levels were measured in this study in the breathing zone atmosphere of cooks during the cooking cycle, using different fuels such as LPG, wood, crop residues and dung cakes, in a rural area of the National Capital Region (NCR) of India. The exhaled breath CO levels of the non-smoking female cooks were also measured before and after cooking. A high degree of correlation was obtained between CO levels during the cooking cycle and exhaled breath CO levels. The study suggests that the enhanced exhaled breath CO levels of the cooks were largely due to the burning of biomass fuels. A high value of R2 (0.79) was obtained during the model fitting exercise, which suggests the usefulness of fuel-type and cooking location (i.e., indoor/outdoor) as explanatory variables for predicting exhaled breath CO levels among cooks. The prevalence of CO poisoning symptoms was found to be significantly higher among the biomass fuel users. The study demonstrates the potential of the exhaled breath CO technique as a non-invasive, easy and economical alternative for predicting CO exposure due to the burning of biomass fuel in rural settings, where it may not always be possible to collect CO exposure data using the conventional invasive techniques.

Aug 18 NIEHS Symposium on Assessing Exposures and Health Effects Related to Indoor Biomass Fuel Burning

July 17, 2014 · 0 comments

Symposium on Assessing Exposures and Health Effects Related to Indoor Biomass Fuel Burning

  • August 18, 2014
  • 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST

Location: David P. Rall Building in the Rodbell Auditorium
NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, NC

The burning of solid fuels (e.g., wood, charcoal, dung) for cooking and heat results in a significant global health burden with over 4 million premature deaths per year attributed to indoor air pollution from inefficient use of solid fuels. Progress on this important public health challenge requires a concerted cross-disciplinary effort involving exposure scientists, toxicologists, epidemiologists, engineers, and public policy experts. This symposium will bring together researchers working in the area of indoor biomass fuel burning emissions and health effects to discuss the latest science, policy, and future directions.

A link to workshop materials will be posted on this page as they become available.

Contact Information for meeting:
Cynthia Rider, Ph.D., DABT
NIEHS/DNTP
P.O. Box 12233, MD K2-12
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
T: (919) 541-9834 (voice)
eFAX: (301) 480-3272
Email: cynthia.rider@nih.gov

 

Time to Act to Reduce Short-lived Climate Pollutants (SCLP)

July 17, 2014 · 0 comments

Time to Act to Reduce Short-lived Climate Pollutants (SCLP), 2014. UNEP.

Large-scale implementation of these SCLP measures by 2030 would likely prevent 2.4 (0.7–4.6) million premature deaths from outdoor air pollution annually and avoid annual crop yield losses of over 50 (30–135) million tons, which represents an increase of a up to 4% of the total annual global crop production. Implementation could also slow down the warming expected by 2050 by about 0.5°C (UNEP & WMO 2011) – and by about 0.7°C in the Arctic by 2040 – and could have significant regional climate benefits in sensitive regions of the world, reducing disruption of rainfall patterns and slowing the melting of some glaciers (WB & ICCI 2013). Action to reduce the climate impacts of HFCs, such as using hydrocarbon refrigerants in domestic refrigerators, freezers and small air conditioning units, could deliver additional near term climate change mitigation benefits.

 

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