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Evaluating the Effects of Access to Air Quality Data on Household Air Pollution and Exposure—An Interrupted Time Series Experimental Study in Rwanda

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  • Chantal Iribagiza

    (Mortenson Center in Global Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA)

  • Taylor Sharpe

    (Mortenson Center in Global Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA)

  • Jeremy Coyle

    (Mortenson Center in Global Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA)

  • Pie Nkubito

    (Mortenson Center in Global Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA)

  • Ricardo Piedrahita

    (Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA)

  • Michael Johnson

    (Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA)

  • Evan A. Thomas

    (Mortenson Center in Global Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80303, USA)

Abstract

In Sub-Saharan Africa, around 80% of residential energy demand is for cooking, with over 760 million people without access to clean cooking fuels and stoves. Particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns (PM 2.5 ) is a significant pollutant from biomass burning and is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, as well as adverse pregnancy outcomes. Energy poverty further reinforces gender disparities, keeps children from schools, causes environmental degradation, and interferes with social and economic development. Lack of access to and inadequate adoption of clean cooking stoves and fuels are key barriers to improved air quality. This paper presents a field experiment nested within a large-scale health efficacy trial. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effects of access to air quality data and dynamic feedback on indoor air pollution (IAP) and personal exposure. Ninety households in Rwanda were enrolled and provided with an air quality sensor and feedback device, which measured real-time indoor air quality as PM 2.5 for sixteen weeks. After six weeks, PM 2.5 levels were provided dynamically to households through a display and an auditory alarm. We examined the effects of receiving this feedback on IAP and personal exposure. While access to air quality data did not, in aggregate, improve PM 2.5 levels, we did observe several promising correlations worthy of further investigation. The associations between personal exposure or rainfall and increased PM 2.5 were reduced after households had access to air quality data. We hypothesized that the behavior changes required to observe these effects—opening doors and windows and moving away from cooking sources—are easy and immediate, in contrast to the costs and complex logistics of entirely eliminating biomass cooking. The types of behavior changes that would directly impact household air pollution and exposure require more than just awareness and willingness to act.

Suggested Citation

  • Chantal Iribagiza & Taylor Sharpe & Jeremy Coyle & Pie Nkubito & Ricardo Piedrahita & Michael Johnson & Evan A. Thomas, 2021. "Evaluating the Effects of Access to Air Quality Data on Household Air Pollution and Exposure—An Interrupted Time Series Experimental Study in Rwanda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11523-:d:659337
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Niklas Vahlne & Erik O. Ahlgren, 2014. "Energy Efficiency at the Base of the Pyramid: A System-Based Market Model for Improved Cooking Stove Adoption," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(12), pages 1-21, November.
    2. Mekonnen, Alemu & Köhlin, Gunnar, 2008. "Determinants of Household Fuel Choice in Major Cities in Ethiopia," RFF Working Paper Series dp-08-18-efd, Resources for the Future.
    3. Daniel Lawrence Wilson & Kendra N. Williams & Ajay Pillarisetti, 2020. "An Integrated Sensor Data Logging, Survey, and Analytics Platform for Field Research and Its Application in HAPIN, a Multi-Center Household Energy Intervention Trial," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, February.
    4. Govinda R. Timilsina and Sunil Malla, 2021. "Clean Cooking: Why is Adoption Slow Despite Large Health and Environmental Benefits?," Economics of Energy & Environmental Policy, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 1).
    5. Vania Vigolo & Rezarta Sallaku & Federico Testa, 2018. "Drivers and Barriers to Clean Cooking: A Systematic Literature Review from a Consumer Behavior Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-21, November.
    6. World Bank & International Energy Agency, "undated". "Sustainable Energy for All 2015," World Bank Publications - Reports 22148, The World Bank Group.
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    1. Yucheng He & Sanika Ravindra Nishandar & Rufus David Edwards & Marko Princevac, 2023. "Air Quality Modeling of Cooking Stove Emissions and Exposure Assessment in Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-14, March.

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