Smoke-reducing stove saves women’s lives
May 13, 2007
ALMOST five percent of the deaths and disease caused by household air pollution could be easily prevented by switching fuels, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently said.
By John Kasozi
ALMOST five percent of the deaths and disease caused by household air pollution could be easily prevented by switching fuels, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently said.
Data released during a ministers’ UN meeting on sustainable development in New York, showed that the worst-affected countries include 19 in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Last year, the WHO estimated that the death toll from “the killer in the kitchen†included 800,000 children and 500,000 women.
The health risks could be eliminated and some 1.5 million lives saved, if people in the world’s poorest countries were able to give up solid fuels, the report reveals.
Reliance on solid fuels and indoor air pollution is rated as one of the 10 most important threats to public health, causing pneumonia and crippling respiratory disease.
About three billion people depend on wood, dung, crop residues and coal for cooking and heating.
The WHO is calling for a shift towards cleaner and more efficient modern fuels, such as biogas, liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene, as well as improved cooking stoves, and smoke hoods to cut indoor household pollution.
In relation to this, a Ugandan organisation, Urban Community Development Association (UCODEA), has designed a stove that cuts smoke emissions by over 50%.
Field data shows that UCODEA’s wood-burning stoves reduce carbon monoxide by 54% and fine particles by 49%. The community NGO carried out Kitchen performance tests on indoor air pollution in about 100 households to detect the pollution levels.
“We have been working with Centre for Entrepreneurship International Health and Development, Germany Technical Cooperation, Joint Energy and Environment Protection and United States Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) for two years, on the Urban Stove Improvement Project for Uganda. We looked at efficient wood and charcoal stoves, which can burn efficiently and reduce emissions,†said Hajji Muhammad Kawere, the proprietor of UCODEA.
The Kawere family stove-making business began in the early 1980s in Nkeere zone, Kibuye I parish, Makindye division, Kampala, by Kawere’s father, Musa Mugwanya.
Since 1991, Kawere has not looked back. He makes different charcoal and wood stoves as well as ovens for domestic and commercial use.
The inside of the stoves and oven are insulated with a mixture of clay, vermiculite, sawdust, mica and cement, to retain heat for long. Before the thermal insulator is put inside, the stoves and ovens are baked at 1,000 degrees Celsius in a furnace.
“The rocket and institutional metal stove insulator saves 40% to 50% of the firewood. The hot gases reach 90% of the saucepan’s surface area, guaranteeing higher energy efficiency. The two types of rocket metal stoves cost sh25,000 and sh30,000,†Kawere said.
The institutional stove has a capacity to handle 50 to 350 litres. It can cook food for 100 people and has an energy efficiency of over 40% and reduces the firewood cost by 50%.
The improved portable baking oven is based on the rocket elbow combustion technology, which results in an almost smokeless operation because complete combustion takes place. The thermal insulator around the baking chamber also ensures saving of over 50% of the firewood.
The hot gases reach all parts of the baking compartment, ensuring even heat distribution.
“The improved insulated household charcoal stove saves 40% to 50% of consumption compared to the ordinary metal stove,†said Kawere.
He added that insulation reduces heat losses, which doubles the amount of energy transferred from the charcoal to the food being cooked.
“The stove uses less charcoal leading to reduction in deforestation.â€
The household stoves are made in three sizes, which cost sh10, 000, sh15,000 and sh20,000 respectively. The rocket costs 30,000. The ovens range between sh160, 000 to sh300,000. In a day, Kawere makes about 150 stoves. He sells about 60 in a day.
The stoves are available at different hardware shops and Uchumi, Bugolobi and Bukoto Payless supermarkets.
Kawere explained that research was carried out in Kawempe, Nakawa and Makindye divisions and showed that an average household uses about 440kgs of firewood per month.
On average, the improved charcoal and wood stove saves a household approximately US$50(86,750) and US$130 (sh225,550) over three years.
“Our next target is to make sure that the project benefits all the people in Uganda. We shall spread out in the country in phases. Our mission is to promote socio-economic development among the urban poor by engaging them in improved and environmentally-friendly economic activities,†said Kawere.
UCODEA), won the ‘Stove Design and Performance Improvement’ Award.
The award was presented to them by USEPA during the third biennial Partnership for Clean Indoor Air (PCIA) forum in Bangalore, India, in March this year.
“It was in appreciation and recognition for the commitment, determination and continuous improvement resulting in cleaner and more efficient energy saving stoves for Uganda,†said Kawere. “The award looked at improving people’s healt and livelihood by reducing indoor air pollution.â€
ALMOST five percent of the deaths and disease caused by household air pollution could be easily prevented by switching fuels, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently said.
Data released during a ministers’ UN meeting on sustainable development in New York, showed that the worst-affected countries include 19 in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Last year, the WHO estimated that the death toll from “the killer in the kitchen†included 800,000 children and 500,000 women.
The health risks could be eliminated and some 1.5 million lives saved, if people in the world’s poorest countries were able to give up solid fuels, the report reveals.
Reliance on solid fuels and indoor air pollution is rated as one of the 10 most important threats to public health, causing pneumonia and crippling respiratory disease.
About three billion people depend on wood, dung, crop residues and coal for cooking and heating.
The WHO is calling for a shift towards cleaner and more efficient modern fuels, such as biogas, liquefied petroleum gas and kerosene, as well as improved cooking stoves, and smoke hoods to cut indoor household pollution.
In relation to this, a Ugandan organisation, Urban Community Development Association (UCODEA), has designed a stove that cuts smoke emissions by over 50%.
Field data shows that UCODEA’s wood-burning stoves reduce carbon monoxide by 54% and fine particles by 49%. The community NGO carried out Kitchen performance tests on indoor air pollution in about 100 households to detect the pollution levels.
“We have been working with Centre for Entrepreneurship International Health and Development, Germany Technical Cooperation, Joint Energy and Environment Protection and United States Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) for two years, on the Urban Stove Improvement Project for Uganda. We looked at efficient wood and charcoal stoves, which can burn efficiently and reduce emissions,†said Hajji Muhammad Kawere, the proprietor of UCODEA.
The Kawere family stove-making business began in the early 1980s in Nkeere zone, Kibuye I parish, Makindye division, Kampala, by Kawere’s father, Musa Mugwanya.
Since 1991, Kawere has not looked back. He makes different charcoal and wood stoves as well as ovens for domestic and commercial use.
The inside of the stoves and oven are insulated with a mixture of clay, vermiculite, sawdust, mica and cement, to retain heat for long. Before the thermal insulator is put inside, the stoves and ovens are baked at 1,000 degrees Celsius in a furnace.
“The rocket and institutional metal stove insulator saves 40% to 50% of the firewood. The hot gases reach 90% of the saucepan’s surface area, guaranteeing higher energy efficiency. The two types of rocket metal stoves cost sh25,000 and sh30,000,†Kawere said.
The institutional stove has a capacity to handle 50 to 350 litres. It can cook food for 100 people and has an energy efficiency of over 40% and reduces the firewood cost by 50%.
The improved portable baking oven is based on the rocket elbow combustion technology, which results in an almost smokeless operation because complete combustion takes place. The thermal insulator around the baking chamber also ensures saving of over 50% of the firewood.
The hot gases reach all parts of the baking compartment, ensuring even heat distribution.
“The improved insulated household charcoal stove saves 40% to 50% of consumption compared to the ordinary metal stove,†said Kawere.
He added that insulation reduces heat losses, which doubles the amount of energy transferred from the charcoal to the food being cooked.
“The stove uses less charcoal leading to reduction in deforestation.â€
The household stoves are made in three sizes, which cost sh10, 000, sh15,000 and sh20,000 respectively. The rocket costs 30,000. The ovens range between sh160, 000 to sh300,000. In a day, Kawere makes about 150 stoves. He sells about 60 in a day.
The stoves are available at different hardware shops and Uchumi, Bugolobi and Bukoto Payless supermarkets.
Kawere explained that research was carried out in Kawempe, Nakawa and Makindye divisions and showed that an average household uses about 440kgs of firewood per month.
On average, the improved charcoal and wood stove saves a household approximately US$50(86,750) and US$130 (sh225,550) over three years.
“Our next target is to make sure that the project benefits all the people in Uganda. We shall spread out in the country in phases. Our mission is to promote socio-economic development among the urban poor by engaging them in improved and environmentally-friendly economic activities,†said Kawere.
UCODEA), won the ‘Stove Design and Performance Improvement’ Award.
The award was presented to them by USEPA during the third biennial Partnership for Clean Indoor Air (PCIA) forum in Bangalore, India, in March this year.
“It was in appreciation and recognition for the commitment, determination and continuous improvement resulting in cleaner and more efficient energy saving stoves for Uganda,†said Kawere. “The award looked at improving people’s healt and livelihood by reducing indoor air pollution.â€