An expert survey on the material types used to start cookstoves

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2018.11.001Get rights and content

Highlights

  • We conducted a survey to understand the types of materials used to ignite cookstoves.

  • Twenty-three respondents provided information on 48 locations in 22 countries.

  • Paper, plastic, agricultural biomass, kerosene, and rubber were often reported.

  • Fabrics, plastic packaging, snack food wrappers, and trash were also noted.

  • Commonly used startup materials may lead to harmful combustion byproducts.

Abstract

Household air pollution generated using solid-fuel cookstoves is a leading risk factor for morbidity and mortality worldwide. Many studies have quantified cookstove emissions with respect to the main fuels used (e.g., wood, charcoal and other biomass fuels). Anecdotal evidence suggests a variety of fuels are used to ignite cookstoves, however quantitative information on startup fuel types is lacking. Emissions from startup materials contribute to household air pollution. As such, understanding startup practices and the choices of startup materials is integral to understanding the full burden of household air pollution from cookstoves on health and the environment. We conducted an expert elicitation style survey to gather information about startup practices worldwide. Twenty-three respondents from academic and private sectors responded to a survey instrument on cookstove startup, providing information that covered 48 geographic locations across 22 countries. Responses to the open-ended questions were analyzed to quantify how startup materials vary according to factors such as location, seasonality, and the main cooking fuel/stove type. A wide variety of materials were reportedly used to ignite cookstoves, including many non-biomass materials that may have toxic combustion byproducts. Paper, plastic, agricultural wastes, waxes and other petroleum fuels (e.g., kerosene), and rubber-like materials (e.g., tires, footwear) were the most commonly indicated startup materials. Additional materials mentioned included fabrics, plastic packaging, soda bottles, snack food wrappers, and trash. Results from this survey can be used to direct future research on the impacts of startup materials on health and the environment, such as justifying the choice of materials to test in the laboratory.

Section snippets

Introduction/background

Approximately 2.8 billion people – around 40% of the world's population – use solid fuel as their primary source of domestic energy (Bonjour et al. 2013). Solid fuels are often burned in inefficient and poorly ventilated cookstove systems (Bonjour et al. 2013). Cookstove emissions contribute to indoor and outdoor air pollution that impacts human health and the environment (GBD 2016 Risk Factors Collaborators 2017; IPCC 2014). However, the estimated health and environmental impacts of cookstove

Survey development and content

The online survey was developed using an iterative process of question design, review, and testing. Five individuals currently involved in cookstove research tested the survey to provide feedback on content and clarity; these individuals were not included as respondents in the final survey. The survey was determined to be exempt from the requirements of the human subjects research protections by the Colorado State University Institutional Review Board.

Respondents were asked to identify up to

Respondent characteristics, experience levels, and locations

We directly contacted 41 individuals to participate in the survey. Several contacted individuals forwarded the recruitment message to colleagues; one individual posted the message to a cookstoves email listserv. As such, it is difficult to know how many total individuals saw the call to participate, but we estimated it to be 45–60. We received completed survey responses from 23 individuals. Twelve of the respondents (52%) were employed in private research/design, seven (30%) were in academia

Discussion and conclusions

Nearly 40% of the world's population currently cooks over open fires or rudimentary cookstoves, which is a large source of air pollution with local, regional, and global implications. Documenting the range of cooking practices that occur around the world is important in order to design behavioral change interventions that reduce emissions. Almost no published documentation exists regarding stove startup practices. Indeed, the majority of the cookstove experts interviewed for this research

References (16)

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Funding: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [grant number R01ES023688].

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