Reducing indoor air pollutants

Technical efforts to reduce indoor air pollutants fall into the following groups.

1. Reduce emissions at source (cooking and heating)

• Improved cookstoves (ICS) with chimneys, efficient combustion and less smoke (promoted by AEPC and the Government of Nepal's Clean Cooking programme).
• Biogas stoves, LPG, electric (induction) cooking using hydroelectricity, and solar cookers.
• Better fuel: dry wood, briquettes, pellets, or gasifier stoves instead of wet wood, dung and coal.
• Use low-VOC paints, adhesives and building materials; avoid asbestos and lead paint.
• Ban or restrict smoking indoors.

2. Ventilation

• Kitchen chimney or smoke hood, eaves gaps, windows, and exhaust fans.
• Mechanical ventilation and heat recovery ventilators in buildings.
• Building design with kitchens separated from living rooms and with cross ventilation.

3. Air cleaning

• HEPA filters and activated carbon filters; air purifiers.
• Humidity control (dehumidifiers, ventilation) to reduce mould; keep relative humidity at 30–50%.

4. Radon and moisture control

• Seal floors and cracks, and ventilate basements; waterproofing; regular cleaning.

5. Monitoring and awareness

• Sensors for CO, CO₂, PM2.5; CO alarms; standards and regulation; training of households.

Combined use of clean stoves, chimneys, and better ventilation can reduce indoor PM2.5 by a large fraction.