Health problems due to biomass fuel use

	Smoking fireplace in a house in Burkina Faso. Because of strong wind cooking was done inside on this day. Normally it is done outside because of the pungent smoke. Photo: Paul Krämer

Wood smoke in traditional without proper exhaust and ventilation is a major risk factor for disease. According to the WHO, Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) is responsible for approximately 2 million additional deaths annually, mainly amoung women and children under five, who are around their mother. Moreover, 4 % of the global burden of diease are attributable to the same factor.  The Worldbank has also discovered the subject.

Energy-saving cookstoves are not helpful to solve this problem. They may even aggravate it by limiting the access of oxygen. Therefore, the Scientific Advisory Panel "Global Environment"  of the German government states: "Biomass cookstoves cause illness".

If weather conditions allow, women in many areas use to cook outside, to escape from the pungent wood smoke. This is advantageous for the introduction of solar cookers, as the place of cooking need not be changed.

 

The WHO Bulletin:  Indoor Air Pollution,

WHO Environmental Burden of Disease series No. 4: Indoor smoke from solid fuels

 

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