Residential heating with wood and coal: health impacts and policy options in Europe and North America

Residential heating with wood and coal is an important source of ambient (outdoor) air pollution; it can also cause substantial indoor air pollution through either direct exposure or infiltration from outside. Evidence links emissions from wood and coal heating to serious health effects such as respiratory and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Wood and coal burning also emit carcinogenic compounds. The results presented in the report indicate that it will be difficult to tackle outdoor air pollution problems in many parts of the world without addressing this source sector. A better understanding of the role of wood biomass heating as a major source of globally harmful outdoor air pollutants (especially fine particles) is needed among national,regional and local administrations, politicians and the public at large.

Отопление жилищ древесиной и углем: влияние на здоровье и варианты политики в Европе и Северной Америке

Отопление жилых помещений дровами и углем – существенный источник загрязнения воздуха вне помещений (атмосферного воздуха). Кроме того, оно может в значительной мере способствовать и загрязнению воздуха в помещениях, как напрямую, так и за счет проникновения загрязняющих веществ извне. Имеющиеся данные указывают на то, что вещества, которые попадают в атмосферу при отоплении помещений дровами и углем, могут наносить серьезный вред здоровью, способствуя развитию респираторных и сердечно-сосудистых заболеваний с возможным летальным исходом. При сжигании дров и угля в воздух также попадают канцерогенные вещества. В докладе рассказывается о последствиях отопления помещений углем и дровами для здоровья населения Европы и Соединенных Штатов Америки и приводятся варианты политики для этой сферы. Представленные в нем сведения свидетельствуют о том, что без принятия мер в этом секторе решение проблемы загрязнения атмосферного воздуха во многих странах мира будет крайне затруднительным. Руководители на уровне стран, областей и районов, политики и широкая общественность должны понимать, какую роль играет использование древесной биомассы для отопления как важный источник загрязнения атмосферного воздуха (в особенности – загрязнения тонкодисперсными частицами). Настоящий доклад призван помочь им в этом.

Contaminación por monóxido de carbono: un problema de salud ambiental / Carbon monoxide contamination: an environmental health problem

El monóxido de carbono es considerado uno de los mayores contaminantes de la atmósfera terrestre. Sus principales fuentes productoras responsables de aproximadamente 80 por ciento de las emisiones, son los vehículos automotores que utilizan como combustible gasolina o diesel y los procesos industriales que utilizan compuestos del carbono. Esta sustancia es bien conocida por su toxicidad para el ser humano. Sus efectos tóxicos agudos incluida la muerte han sido estudiados ampliamente; sin embargo, sus potenciales efectos adversos a largo plazo son poco conocidos. En los últimos años, los estudios de investigación experimentales en animales y epidemiológicos en humanos han evidenciado relación entre población expuesta en forma crónica a niveles medios y bajos de monóxido de carbono en aire respirable y la aparición de efectos adversos en la salud humana especialmente en órganos de alto consumo de oxígeno como cerebro y corazón. Se han documentado efectos nocivos cardiovasculares y neuropsicológicos en presencia de concentraciones de monóxido de carbono en aire inferiores a 25 partes por millón y a niveles de carboxihemoglobina en sangre inferiores a 10 por ciento. Las alteraciones cardiovasculares que se han descrito son hipertensión arterial, aparición de arritmias y signos electrocardiográficos de isquemia. Déficit en memoria, atención, concentración y alteraciones del movimiento tipo parkinsonismo, son los cambios neuropsicológicos con mayor frecuencia asociados a exposición crónica a bajos niveles de monóxido de carbono y carboxihemoglobina.

Carbon monoxide is considered to be a major factor contaminating earths atmosphere. The main sources producing this contamination are cars using gasoline or diesel fuel and industrial processes using carbon compounds; these two are responsible for 80 percent of carbon monoxide being emitted to the atmosphere. This substance has a well-known toxic effect on human beings and its acute poisonous effects (including death) have been widely studied; however, its long-term chronic effects are still not known. During the last few years, experimental research on animals and studies of human epidemiology have established the relationship between chronic exposure to low and middle levels of carbon monoxide in breathable air and adverse effects on human health, especially on organs consuming large amounts of oxygen such as the heart and brain. Harmful cardiovascular and neuropsychological effects have been documented in carbon monoxide concentration in air of less than 25 ppm and in carboxyhaemoglobin levels in blood of less than 10 percent. The main cardiac damage described to date has been high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythm and electrocardiograph signs of ischemia. Lack of memory, attention, concentration and Parkinson-type altered movement are the neuropsychological changes most frequently associated with chronic exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide and carboxyhaemoglobin.

Contaminación aérea intradomiciliaria en el área sur-oriente de Santiago / Indoor air pollution in south east Santiago

Background: Indoor air pollution could play an important role in the susceptibility to respiratory diseases of vulnerable individuals, such as elders and infants. Aim: To evaluate indoor air pollution in a low income population of South East Santiago. Subjects and methods: A domiciliary survey of contaminant sources was carried out in the houses of a cohort of 522 children less than one year old. Using a case-control design, 121 children consulting for respiratory diseases were considered as cases and 131 healthy infants of the same age and sex were considered as controls. In the houses of both groups, active monitors for particulate matter (PM10) and passive monitors for NO2 were installed. Results: Forty two percent of fathers and 30 percent of mothers were smokers, and in two thirds of the families there was at least one smoker. Eighty five percent used portable heaters in winter. Of these, 77 percent used kerosene as fuel. Only 27 percent had water heating appliances. The rest heated water on the kitchen stove or on bonfires. Most kitchen stoves used liquid gas as fuel. Twenty four hour PM10 was 109 ñ 3.2 µg/m3. Mean indoor and outdoor NO2 in 24 h was 108 ñ 76.3 and 84 ñ 53.6 µg/m3 respectively. Indoor NO2 levels were related to the use of heating devices and smoking. No differences in PM10 and NO2 levels were observed between cases and controls. Conclusions: There is a clear relationship between indoor pollution and contaminating sources. Indoor NO2 levels are higher than outdoors