Boiling Point 34: Smoke Removal - September 1994

Boiling Point
Issue 34 (1994) Smoke Removal

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Wood and other forms of biomass are the main cooking fuels for about half the world's population, and will remain so for at least the next few decades. In most parts of the developing world they are burned in open fires or inefficient stoves in poorly ventilated kitchens. Women and children are continuously exposed to high levels of harmful smoke and suffer serious health damage.

Billions of dollars have been spent on research into the effects of cigarette smoke but very little has been done to protect the women who must cook to live, although the problem has been recognized for more than ten years.

Biomass smoke contains several poisonous constituents such as respirable particulates and carbon monoxide (CO). These can result in pneumonia, tuberculosis, lower birth weights, eye cataracts and nervous and muscular fatigue. Smoke also contains sulphur and nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons which may be carcinogenic. It is probably the main killer of children under five.

The amounts of these compounds that are produced depend greatly on how well the fuel is burned. In ideal conditions of complete combustion, they are mostly converted into carbon dioxide, (C02) which realtively harmless to people but damaging to the global atmosphere. In open fires and cooking stoves these conditions cannot be achieved and so incomplete combustion allows the pollutants to enter the kitchen atmosphere and the body.

A first step towards reducing or removing the smoke and identifying the fuels and conditions repsonsible is to be able to measure its concentrations, and compare these with accepted safe standards. Instrumetns have been developed and people trained to use them in several countries so that more data is becoming available.

For several years, Boiling point has reported on ways of reducing smoke such as:

quicker cooking, and therefore less time in the kitchen;
better stoves and less smoky stoves;
cleaner and more economical fuels;
better stove use.

In this edition we are concentrating on how to remove smoke from the kitchen by means of:

better design - windows, doors, roof and other ventilation;
better chimneys (see also BP28);
hoods over stoves, connected to chimneys.

Although there is no easy answer to the problem, the recent work of Peter Young (ITDG) adn colleagues in Kenya (A Breath of Fresh Air for Smoky Houses) with new designs fo hoods, may in many cases be the best answer within the cost constraints of poor households. More research and development is needed in countries with different clinates and cooking habits to produce cheap, efficient and covenient hoods. Dr Kammen's article sums up the situation calling for the inclusion of Third World domestic cooking isssues in all major development programmes, and a much greater input of effort and funds at all levels, to reduce fuel use and atmospheric pollution.

[top] [end]Articles in knowledge bank

Smoke in the Kitchen Smoke in the Kitchen by Stephen Karekezi and Patience Turyareeba
Any Stove Will Smoke if You Dont Use it Correctly Any Stove Will Smoke if You Don't Use it Correctly by Hilda von Krosigk
Acute Respiratory Infection, Conjunctivitis and Accidental Burns Acute Respiratory Infection, Conjunctivitis and Accidental Burns: the Stove Factor by Cornelia Sepp
Exposure to Air Pollution From Transitional Household Fuels In A South African Population Exposure to Air Pollution From Transitional Household Fuels In A South African Population by Aletta Terblanche, Catherine M, E Nel, Louise Opperman and Helena Nyikos
Smoke Removal in Kenya Smoke Removal in Kenya by Dominic Walubengo
Chinese Chimneys Chinese Chimneys by Zhu Zhao-ling and Lian Ren-jie
Indoor Air Pollution in Rural Tigray Indoor Air Pollution in Rural Tigray by Jurgen Usinger
Removing Smoke from Nepali Kitchens Removing Smoke from Nepali Kitchens by K M Sulpya
A Breath of Fresh Air for Smoky Houses A Breath of Fresh Air for Smoky Houses by Pete Young
Vietnames Kitchens Vietnames Kitchens by Dr Nguyen Huu Dung
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Environmental Degradation Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improving Environmental Degradation by Dr. Daniel Kammen
Indian Governments Stove Programme in Question Indian Government's Stove Programme in Question
Cooking energy Efficiency in Indonesia Cooking energy Efficiency in Indonesia by Adhong Ramadhan and Jennifer McAvoy
Phillipines Ricehull Stove Phillipines Ricehull Stove
Stoves for Cafes and Food Stalls Stoves for Cafés and Food Stalls by Philippe Laura
Fuel from Three Stages of Pyrolysis Fuel from Three Stages of Pyrolysis by International Network for Sustainable Energy
An Electric Metad An Electric Metad by Habte Selassie Tesfaldet
Crack Reduction in Clay Stoves Crack Reduction in Clay Stoves: Jigger Jolleying vs Hand Making by Hugh Allen

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Pagename: BoilingPoint34-September1994 @HEDON: MTGA

Boiling Point 34: Smoke Removal - September 1994

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