Household air pollution: estimations and low-cost technologies for reducing its exposure in Latin-American countries

• Type: Chapter or Part of a Book
• Date: 2023

Authors

Abeldaño Zuñiga, Roberto Ariel (Author) Other; Lima, Gabriela Narcizo de (Author) FLUP

Book

Title: Handbook of nature-based solutions to mitigation and adaptation to climate change

ISBN: 978-3-030-98067-2

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-030-98067-2

Publisher: Springer Cham

Other information

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-98067-2_64-1

Abstract (EN): In the twenty-first century, where technological development advances rapidly and is unstoppable, more than three billion people still cook with traditional wood or charcoal stoves. This significant portion of the world’s population, which depends on solid fuels for cooking and heating their homes, is primarily located in developing countries. This problem is exacerbated by the increase in fuel prices, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and the global economic crisis, all of which have a significant impact on the poorest countries of the Global South. An analysis of census data from 14 selected countries was conducted in the Latin American region to estimate the use of charcoal or firewood as fuel for cooking in households within those countries. Approximately 12.6 million households, equivalent to 15.2% of the total, utilize firewood or charcoal as their primary cooking fuel. These fuels pose a considerable risk of environmental air pollution within the home, disproportionately affecting women. Given the prevailing context of ambient air pollution in Latin American households, we undertook a literature review to identify low-cost eco-techniques that could potentially mitigate exposure to household air pollution. As a result, eco-techniques such as the mud and sand stove (known as “LORENA,” derived from the Spanish words “lodo” meaning mud and “arena” meaning sand), the pressed sawdust stove, and biofuel cookstoves are detailed in this chapter. The findings underscore that ambient air pollution in homes remains a pressing social and economic issue in the Latin American region. The eco-techniques outlined herein hold the potential to serve as valuable measures to reduce women’s exposure to ambient air pollution in their households.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

Notes: Received 10 August 2023; Accepted 20 August 2023; Published 27 October 2023

No. of pages: 18