The use of solid fuel, known to emit pollutants which cause damage to human health, is the primary energy option in Ethiopia. Thus, the aim of this study was to measure the level of household air pollution by using the 24-h mean concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in 150 randomly recruited households in rural Butajira, Ethiopia. Data relating to household and cooking practices were obtained by conducting face-to-face interviews with the mothers. The 24-h mean (standard deviation) and median PM2.5 concentrations were 410 (220) and 340 µg/m3, respectively. Households using only traditional stoves and those who did not open the door or a window during cooking had a significantly higher mean concentration compared with their counterparts. There is a statistically significant correlation between the mean concentration of PM2.5 and the self-reported cooking duration. The pollution level was up to 16 times higher than the WHO 24-h guideline limit of 25 μg/m3, thus leaving the mothers and children who spend the most time at the domestic hearth at risk of the adverse health effects from solid fuel use in Ethiopia. Thus, effective short- and long-term interventions are urgently needed.
Keywords: Ethiopia; household air pollution; particulate matter (PM2.5); solid fuel use.