Interventions to Mitigate Indoor Air Pollution: A Cost-Benefit Analysis

Muhammad Irfan, Michael Cameron and Gazi Hassan ()

Working Papers in Economics from University of Waikato

Abstract: Globally, around three billion people depend upon solid fuels such as firewood, dry animal dung, crop residues, or coal, and use traditional stoves for cooking and heating purposes. This solid fuel combustion causes indoor air pollution (IAP) and severely impairs health and the environment, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. A number of alternative household energy strategies can be adopted to mitigate IAP, such as using liquid petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas, biogas, electric stoves, or improved cook stoves (ICS). In this study, we estimate the benefit-cost ratios and net present value of these interventions over a ten-year period in Pakistan. Annual costs include both fixed and operating costs, whereas benefits cover health, productivity gains, time savings, and fuel savings. We find that LPG has the highest benefit-cost ratio followed by Natural gas, and ICS has the lowest benefit-cost ratio. Electric stoves, and biogas have moderate benefit-cost ratios that nevertheless exceed one. To maximize the return on cleaner burning technology, the government of Pakistan should consider encouraging the adoption of LPG, piped natural gas, and electric stoves as means to reduce IAP and adopt clean technologies.

Keywords: indoor air pollution; interventions; cost-benefit analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O15 Q42 Q47 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 28 pages
Date: 2018-11-12, Revised 2021-01-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene, nep-env and nep-reg
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Related works:
Journal Article: Interventions to mitigate indoor air pollution: A cost-benefit analysis (2021)
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