Air pollution, a critical global public health issue, includes indoor air pollution from household fossil fuel consumption, notably from gas cooking in urban areas. In urban China, where population growth and urbanization are on the rise, NO2, a byproduct of gas cooking and outdoor pollution, poses a significant health threat. A groundbreaking study reveals the significant public health benefits of transitioning from gas to electric cooking in urban China. Researchers found that such a switch could reduce the economic losses associated with diseases caused by nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure by 35%.
On a new study (DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2023.10.003) published in the journal Eco-Environment & Health, researchers from Tsinghua University used modeled NO2 exposure concentrations, exposure-response relationships with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes mellitus, and baseline DALYs to estimate the disease burden attributable to NO2 exposure in urban China in 2019. The result showed that approximately 1,675 thousand DALYs and 138 billion Chinese yuan in economic losses were attributed to NO2 in 2019. The study also estimated the potential reduction in disease burden that could be achieved by switching from gas to electric stoves for household cooking. Remarkably, transitioning from gas to electric cooking in households could reduce these losses by 35%.
"This study highlights the importance of considering both outdoor and indoor sources of NO2 exposure when assessing the health impacts of air pollution," said Prof. Zhao, lead author of the study. "Switching from gas to electric stoves is a simple and effective way to reduce NO2 exposure and improve public health."
The study's findings challenge the conventional view of gas as a clean energy source for cooking. It emphasizes the significant public health benefits of switching to electric cooking in urban settings. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of comprehensive strategies targeting both indoor and outdoor NO2 emissions to effectively mitigate pollution and its associated health risks.
