Effectiveness of Improved Cookstoves to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution in Developing Countries. The Case of the Cassamance Natural Subregion, Western Africa

Abstract

The Spanish NGO "Alianza por la Solidaridad" has installed improved cookstoves in 3000 households during 2012 and 2013 to improve energy efficiency reducing fuelwood consumption and to improve indoor air quality. The type of cookstoves were Noflaye Jeeg and Noflaye Jaboot and were installed in the Cassamance Natural Subregion covering part of Senegal, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. The Technical University of Madrid (UPM) has conducted a field study on a sample of these households to assess the effect of improved cookstoves on kitchen air quality. Measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) and fine particle matter (PM 2.5) were taken for 24-hr period before and after the installation of improved cookstoves. The 24-hr mean CO concentrations were lower than the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for Guinea-Bissau but higher for Senegal and Gambia, even after the installation of improved cookstoves. As for PM 2.5 concentrations, 24-hr mean were always higher than these guidelines. However, improved cookstoves produced significant reductions on 24-hr mean CO and PM 2.5 concentrations in Senegal and for mean and maximum PM 2.5 concentration on Gambia. Although this variability needs to be explained by further research to determine which other factors could affect indoor air pollution, the study provided a better understanding of the problem and envisaged alternatives to be implemented in future phases of the NGO project.

Overview of the use of clean cookstoves in the Brazilian semiarid region

“…Inefficient burning of solid fuels for cooking causes indoor air pollution from various types of pollutants. Exposure to these pollutants for long periods of time has several health impacts (WHO, 2006;SOTA et al, 2014), such as the emergence of disease (lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia and tuberculosis), and cardiovascular, eye and gestational problems (ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, 2016).…”

Into the smoke : a research on household air pollution and climate impacts of biomass cookstoves in Senegal

“…Across a 100-year horizon, Noflaye Jegg showed an overall increase of 88% global warming potential in comparison to the traditional stove. In consequence, while the use of Noflaye Jegg has clear benefits for improving indoor air quality (Sota et al, 2014 and chapter 5 of this thesis), results suggest that this type of rocket stove, under typical cooking practices and fuelwood used Senegal, leads to negative climate effects with regard to carbonaceous aerosol emissions.…”

“…Moreover, recent studies showed that many improved biomass cookstoves on the market today, though a great improvement regarding traditional cooking, still produce enough PM 2.5 and BC emissions to be considered a health and environmental hazard (Grieshop et al, 2011;Jetter et al, 2012;Kar et al, 2012;Mazorra, 2017;Smith et al, 2014;Sota et al, 2014).…”

“…Three stones and Noflaye Jegg were the stove types analysed in the field. Three stones is still the most commonly used biomass stove in Senegal, and Noflaye Jegg stove has been widely implemented in the Casamance Region, (25,000 units between 2012 and 2016, (Sota et al, 2014) and in Fatick (2500 units in 2012). Rocket stove design is the most commonly used type of improved cookstove in sub-Saharan Africa (Lambe et al, 2015b).…”

“…It was installed in 22 households, during 24-hour periods. This device has already been used in certain indoor air pollution studies from cookstoves, (Grabow et al, 2013;Sota et al, 2014) but its uncertainty has not been reported in the scientific literature.…”