A Profile of Biomass Stove Use in Sri Lanka

Abstract

A large body of evidence has confirmed that the indoor air pollution (IAP) from biomass fuel use is a major cause of premature deaths, and acute and chronic diseases. Over 78% of Sri Lankans use biomass fuel for cooking, the major source of IAP in developing countries. We conducted a review of the available literature and data sources to profile biomass fuel use in Sri Lanka. We also produced two maps (population density and biomass use; and cooking fuel sources by district) to illustrate the problem in a geographical context. The biomass use in Sri Lanka is limited to wood while coal, charcoal, and cow dung are not used. Government data sources indicate poor residents in rural areas are more likely to use biomass fuel. Respiratory diseases, which may have been caused by cooking emissions, are one of the leading causes of hospitalizations and death. The World Health Organization estimated that the number of deaths attributable to IAP in Sri Lanka in 2004 was 4300. Small scale studies have been conducted in-country in an attempt to associate biomass fuel use with cataracts, low birth weight, respiratory diseases and lung cancer. However, the IAP issue has not been broadly researched and is not prominent in Sri Lankan public health policies and programs to date. Our profile of Sri Lanka calls for further analytical studies and new innovative initiatives to inform public health policy, advocacy and program interventions to address the IAP problem of Sri Lanka.

Prenatal exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) and low birth weight in a Sri Lankan birth cohort

“…Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) of size 2.5 μm contributes to 4.2 million deaths and a loss of 103.1 million DALYs; majority of this burden is borne by low middle income countries (LMICs) (5) (6). More than three billion people accounting for 43% of the world's population use solid fuels (coal and biomass) for cooking and heating; about 80% of these people live in LMICs (7,8). In most LMICs, women of child-bearing age typically spend several hours a day in cooking chores.…”

“…In Sri Lanka, a LMIC in South Asia with a population of 20 million, about 74% of the population uses some form of solid fuel (unprocessed wood) for cooking. (8,9) Recent reports from the Sri Lankan National Demographic Surveys indicate that the prevalence of solid fuel use remains mostly unchanged with only slight decrease from 78% to 74% in the last 15 years. (10) (11,12) Studies on exposure to PM2.5 from either ambient or indoor sources have found positive associations with adverse pregnancy outcomes including stillbirths, low birth weight (LBW), small for gestational age (SGA), preterm births and birth defects.…”

Maternal exposure to biomass smoke and carbon monoxide in relation to adverse pregnancy outcome in two high altitude cities of Peru

“…About half of the world’s population depends on biomass as the primary source of household energy, burning 2 billion kilograms of biomass every day in developing countries (Lakshimi et al 2012). The daily exposures to high concentrations of smoke from cookstoves inside kitchens create large smoke exposures for women and their small children (Northcross et al 2010, Elledge and Phillips 2012). …”

Tackling the health burden of air pollution in South Asia

“…[4][5][6] These are inefficient fuels and their use in open fires or leaky stoves contributes to high levels of indoor smoke. Studies on indoor air pollution in South Asia show average daily PM 2.5 concentrations range from 300 μg/m 3 to 3000 μg/m 3 , 5 7 8 which is much higher than is recommended by the World Health Organization (box 1).…”