Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Preface
- Language and measures
- Acknowledgements
- Permissions
- Part I The Litany
- Part II Human welfare
- Part III Can human prosperity continue?
- Part IV Pollution: does it undercut human prosperity?
- 15 Air pollution
- 16 Acid rain and forest death
- 17 Indoor air pollution
- 18 Allergies and asthma
- 19 Water pollution
- 20 Waste: running out of space?
- 21 Conclusion to Part IV: the pollution burden has diminished
- Part V Tomorrow's problems
- Part VI The Real State of the World
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
17 - Indoor air pollution
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2013
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Preface
- Language and measures
- Acknowledgements
- Permissions
- Part I The Litany
- Part II Human welfare
- Part III Can human prosperity continue?
- Part IV Pollution: does it undercut human prosperity?
- 15 Air pollution
- 16 Acid rain and forest death
- 17 Indoor air pollution
- 18 Allergies and asthma
- 19 Water pollution
- 20 Waste: running out of space?
- 21 Conclusion to Part IV: the pollution burden has diminished
- Part V Tomorrow's problems
- Part VI The Real State of the World
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
When we think of air pollution, what immediately comes to mind is smoke and car exhaust fumes – outdoor pollution. But although this is dangerous, at a global level indoor pollution actually poses a far greater health risk. The latest estimate from WHO, as depicted in Figure 100, shows that indoor air pollution costs about 14 times more deaths than outdoor air pollution. Moreover, both in developing and developed urban areas, the death toll from it is far greater. In total, indoor air pollution is estimated to cost 2.8 million lives each year.
Indoor air pollution in the developing world
Indoor pollution is especially a problem in the Third World. Here, about 3.5 billion people – more than half the population of the globe – depend on traditional fuels such as firewood, charcoal, dried dung and agricultural wastes to cook and heat their homes. These fuels all develop far more soot, particles, carbon monoxide and toxic chemicals than more modern fuels such as gas and kerosene.
When particles and carbon monoxide in particular are released in large quantities in small homes, they subject the residents to far higher contamination levels than they would meet in even the most highly polluted city.
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- Chapter
- Information
- The Skeptical EnvironmentalistMeasuring the Real State of the World, pp. 182 - 184Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2001