Turning up the heat on clean energy: The impact of electric cooking on reducing no2-related diseases in urban china

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.

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References

DOI

10.1016/j.eehl.2023.10.003

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eehl.2023.10.003

About Eco-Environment & Health

Eco-Environment & Health (EEH) is an international and multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal designed for publications on the frontiers of the ecology, environment and health as well as their related disciplines. EEH focuses on the concept of "One Health" to promote green and sustainable development, dealing with the interactions among ecology, environment and health, and the underlying mechanisms and interventions. Our mission is to be one of the most important flagship journals in the field of environmental health.