‘Improved’ stoves emit more ultrafine particles than conventional stoves

Featured Sponsor

Store	Link	Sample Product
UK Artful Impressions	Premiere Etsy Store

Researchers at the Global Center for Clean Air Research (GCARE) in Surrey found that while ICS can reduce fine particulate matter (PM2.5) by up to 65%, they can actually increase the emission of ultrafine particulate matter.

The GCARE team also found that the large surface areas of the ultrafine particles allow them to absorb a significant amount of metals and hazardous chemicals, including arsenic, lead, nitrate, sulfate, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Professor Prashant Kumar, study co-author and Director of GCARE at the University of Surrey, said:

“The global cost of living crisis has led many to turn to wood, coal, peat and other biomass fuels for domestic combustion fuel for cooking or heating their homes. Unfortunately, our research suggests there may be a even higher health cost to pay in the near future.

“These small particles can easily infiltrate the nasal passages, creating potential health risks, and our most vulnerable will foot that bill.”

Improved stoves are designed to reduce fuel consumption, smoke, and harmful emissions during cooking. Additionally, they are often designed to be more efficient and to burn fuel more completely than traditional stoves.

Despite the known health impacts of home burning, it is believed that 2.8 billion people worldwide use solid fuels to heat their homes. Around 20% of homes in Ireland use wood for fuel. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, approximately 12.7 million people in the United States use wood as their primary source of heat.

Professor Kumar added:

“A bright spot that needs to be investigated further is the development of DEFRA-approved thermal stoves that are designed to improve combustion efficiency and reduce pollutant emissions. The use of green fuel pellets that emit less toxic fumes should also be considered as part of the package to improve the status quo.

“This is clearly a global problem affecting developing countries and superpowers alike, so we all need to come together to ensure clean air is available to all of society and not just the lucky few.”

The research has been published by Total Environmental Scienceand is based on the cooking guide recently published by GCARE.

The University of Surrey is a world-leading sustainability center of excellence, where our multidisciplinary research connects society and technology to equip humanity with the tools to tackle climate change, clean our air, reduce the impacts of pollution in health and help us live. better and more sustainable lives. The University is committed to improving the efficiency of its own resources in its heritage and to be an industry leader, with the goal of being carbon neutral by 2030. A focus on research that makes a difference in the world has helped Surrey ranked 55th in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings 2022, which assesses the performance of more than 1,400 universities against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).