Despite strides in technology, a recent collaborative research effort between the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi), Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité (INRS) in France, and the National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) in India has uncovered a concerning trend: over 50 per cent of the rural population in northeastern India, encompassing Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya, still relies on traditional solid fuels like firewood and mixed biomass for cooking. This reliance, the research finds, leads to the emission of significant pollutants into kitchen air, posing severe health risks to inhabitants, Business Standard reported.
The study aimed to evaluate the severity and health implications of using biomass cooking fuel compared to the cleaner alternative, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), in rural kitchens across the three Northeast Indian states. Employing a comprehensive methodology, the research team measured concentrations of aerosols, toxic trace metals, and carcinogenic organic substances during cooking with different fuels. They also analyzed the deposition patterns of these particles in the human respiratory system, calculating resulting inhalation exposure.
As per the report, utilizing the ‘Potential Years of Life Lost’ (PYLL) metric, the researchers estimated the health impact on the rural Northeast Indian population, focusing particularly on respiratory diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), pneumonia, and various cancers. The findings revealed significantly higher exposure to harmful aerosols and increased disease burdens among those using firewood and mixed biomass compared to LPG users.
Dr Sayantan Sarkar, assistant professor at the School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, IIT Mandi, highlighted the significance of the study, stating, “Our study combines real-world aerosol measurements in rural kitchens with dosimetry modeling to robustly estimate the impact of cooking emissions on the respiratory tract.” Sarkar emphasized that this is the first attempt to estimate disease burdens caused by indoor cooking emissions in India, using the PYLL metric. Additionally, the study measured the potential for oxidative stress resulting from such exposure, quantifying the additional risk biomass users face compared to those using LPG.
Key findings from the research include the revelation that exposure to harmful aerosols was 2-19 times higher in firewood/biomass-using kitchens compared to LPG-using kitchens, and the population using firewood and mixed biomass faced 2-57 times higher disease burdens than LPG users. Moreover, the potential for oxidative stress, which can lead to damaged cells, proteins, and DNA, was found to be 4-5 times higher among biomass users compared to LPG users.
In light of these findings, the research underscores the urgent need for rural communities in Northeast India to transition to cleaner cooking methods. Recommendations include improving LPG accessibility, enhancing cookstove programs, raising awareness, funding local solutions, and organizing health camps for rural women. Such measures are crucial to mitigating the health risks associated with traditional cooking fuels and ensuring the well-being of the region’s inhabitants.