Most, if not all, of the families in Los Cebollines and Alcoba rely on open fires to cook. This causes the smoke to fill their homes and results in severe health problems. Approximately, one ton of firewood per-person per-year is used for cooking and heat. Collecting that much firewood takes time and energy or costs money.
Exposure to smoke from open fires within a home has been shown in several studies to be one of the leading causes of respiratory illness.
Most of the substances contained in the smoke emitted by biofuels (coal, firewood, crop residues, animal manure, etc.) can harm human health, the most important particles being: carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, sulfur oxides (mainly in coal), formaldehyde, and polycyclic organic matter (often causing cancer).
Particles whose diameter is less than 10 microns, mainly those with a diameter less than 2.5 microns, can penetrate deep into the lung tissues and are those that cause the greatest damage to health.
Selected Solution:
ONIL Smokeless Stove. Approximately $160 per stove, depending on quantity.
Advantages and benefits:
- Reduces eye irritation or respiratory illnesses by eliminating kitchen smoke.
- Better health thanks to reduced exposure to toxic off-gassing and particulate matter in biomass smoke (PM 2.5 concentration reduced by 47%);
- Reduction of up to 70% in the consumption of firewood, thus helping to conserve the forest.
- Increases self-esteem and empowerment of women;
- 32% less time spent cooking; More time to spend on other essential tasks;.
- Reduced unsustainable harvesting of woody biomass by up to 3 tons per stove per year • Saves time and money, as the consumption of firewood is reduced, less time is spent collecting or money to buy it.