Domestic pollution is relevant to health because people
spend most of their time indoors. One half of the world’s
population is exposed to high concentrations of solid
fuel smoke (biomass and coal) that are produced by ineffi
cient open fi res, mainly in the rural areas of developing
countries. Concentrations of particulate matter in
kitchens increase to the range of milligrams per cubic
meter during cooking. Solid fuel smoke possesses the
majority of the toxins found in tobacco smoke and has
also been associated with a variety of diseases, such as
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in women, acute