“the hidden hazard of household air pollution in

rural china”

A Critique Paper by Angelica Mae Y. Flores

This is a critique on a journal entitled “The Hidden Hazard of Household Air Pollution in
Rural China,” a study published by Kristin Aunan, from CICERO Center for International Climate
Research, Norway, Mette Halskov Hansen, from Department of Culture Studies and Oriental
Languages, University of Oslo, Norway, Zhaohui Liu, from Institute of Anthropology, Zhejiang
University, Hangzhou, China, and Shuxiao Wang, from School of Environment, State Key Joint
Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
The researchers carried out a joint study of air quality and perceptions of air pollution in one of
China’s richest provinces, Zhejiang specifically in the villages of Quzhou and also for comparison,
the team conducted studies in two urban neigbhourhood of Quzhou. The results of PM2.5
concentration in ambient and household air pollution(HAP) of the villages and urban areas were
almost similar. In ambient, the measured PM2.5 was 53 μg/m 3 in urban areas while in rural areas
was 45 μg/m3. In household, the exposure levels to PM2.5 was measured in subgroups such as
biomass users, LPG and clean fuel users, women, men, cooks, non-cooks and also in the kitchens
of biomass users and clean fuel users. The highest exposure level to PM2.5 were the biomass
users which it measured 64 μg/m3 for the participants and 219 μg/m3 in the kitchen
concentration. The personal exposure level to PM2.5 was also higher for women and cooks
which it measured 62 μg/m 3 and 61 μg/m3 than for men and non-cooks. From these results, I can
say that household air pollution should be considered as one of those pollution constituting
health risks not just ambient air pollution. The ones mostly affected by HAP are those that spend
more time in the kitchen of biomass fuel users such as women, children and cooks. People must
also have concerns and awareness regarding this problem since air pollution is not just
happening in urban areas but also in our household. In this article, I can say that it was
reasonable enough that people more rely on biomass fuels such as wood and coal because of
availability and cost than clean fuel such as LPG, electricity and etc. Hence, I can agree from the
study that they have more concerns on the air pollution happening in urban areas due to plant
emissions, vehicle exhausts, and etc. rather than in household since they have wrong notion
about HAP. They prefer to cook with fuel that they themselves regard as being clean and
harmless to their health such as wood rather than LPG. In this study, it showed that people
respond to policy changes related to household energy use if these policies are understandable,
beneficial, and affordable. I cannot agree less since the people in the villages have only little
awareness on HAP and they don’t fully understand what HAP is. This is why HAP is still a hidden
hazard. This tendency towards diminishing the risk of HAP was strengthened by the fact that
media, local government and national policies on air pollution up to now have paid little
attention to HAP. Not just because of the policies and economic factors but also because of
tradition and culture in using the old coal stove among Chinese families, that’s why it is difficult
to eliminate HAP.

The scope of the study regarding the source of HAP was only biomass fuels especially
when cooking. I find this lacking since biomass fuels are not just the only source of air pollution
in our homes but also other sources such as what we found in bathroom like cleaning chemicals
and mildew, in our storage rooms such as asbestos, solvents, aerosols, pesticides, disinfectants,
paints and etc., in bedroom such as dusts, and molds, in living room such as smoke from
cigarettes, pet hairs, and other particulate matter, in garage such as CO from car emissions, and
other chemicals found in kitchen producing air pollution. It is understandable that when PM2.5
concentration was measured in subgroups, it already includes measuring the other sources of
pollution inside the household. But since they focused more on biomass fuel because it
contributes greater PM2.5 exposure for biomass fuel users, the researchers should have
specified the scope of their study. Also for the title of the study, it should have indicated that
biomass fuel as the greater source of HAP was the main topic.

In regards with the conclusion and suggestions of the study, it only indicates about
concerning the Chinese population. Hence, I want this study to be recognized not just by the
Chinese government and community but also to the other countries especially those countries
where most of the households were using biomass fuels. Overall, in this study since I find their
data and analysis comprehensive and reliable enough not just quantitatively but also because
they included factors and the perceptions of people why HAP was still a hidden hazard. Hence, I
can approve their suggestions that the Government regarding this problem should expand its
monitoring program in rural areas, make the data public and easily available to heighten people’s
awareness also of the risks of household air pollution for rural populations. Also with the social
practices related to the use of biomass and coal stoves should be included in the national and
regional air pollution control strategy and infrastructure for clean fuels should be developed in
regions currently lacking access.
 EVALUATION OF MEMBERS
RATING: 1-5

Castro, Rizwell Fred - 5

Clarin, John Ray - 5
Dago-oc, Karyll Marie - 5
Dapanas,Vince - 5
Flores, Angelica Mae -5
Haramil, Gabrielle Mikhaela - 5
Literatus, Kirk Joseph - 5
Matas, Adoration Faith - 5
Padillo, Mae Nielyn - 5
Rebusit, Ruth Micah - 5
Ybanez, Gebien - 5