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- Website:
- Role(s):
- Research, Public Policy
- Topic(s) of work:
- Air, Energy
Description
More than three billion people worldwide continue to depend on solid fuels, including biomass fuels (wood, dung, agricultural residues) and coal, for their energy needs.
Cooking and heating with solid fuels on open fires or traditional stoves results in high levels of indoor air pollution. Indoor smoke contains a range of health-damaging pollutants, such as small particles and carbon monoxide, and particulate pollution levels may be 20 times higher than accepted guideline values.
According to The world health report 2002 indoor air pollution is responsible for 2.7% of the global burden of disease.
Publications and Resources
Journal Articles
- . Indoor Air Pollution in Developing Countries: A Major Environmental and Public Health Challenge. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2000.
Book Chapters
- . "Domestic Fuel Shortage and Indoor Air Pollution ." In Women, Health and Environment: An Anthology. World Health Organization (WHO), 1994.
Reports
- Kirk Smith, Yasmin E. von Schirnding, Majid Ezzati. Addressing the Impact of Household Energy and Indoor Air Pollution on the Health of the Poor: Implications for policy action and intervention measures. 2002.
- Yasmin E. von Schirnding. Addressing the Links Between Indoor Air Pollution, Household Energy and Human Health. 2000.
- Kirk Smith, Jonathan Sinton. Indoor Air Pollution Database for China. 1995.
Host Institution(s)
- World Health Organization (WHO), New York, NY, United States