By: Joyce Gyekye
The Industrial Research Institute of the Council for Scientific Industrial Research, CSIR has been accredited to test all improved Cookstoves in the country before they are placed on the market. This follows successful completion of a training on a new protocol for testing improved cookstoves that researchers received from the US.
The training was by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA of the United States.
The ISO Cookstove Laboratory of the IIR which was established about 11 years ago now conducts tests including efficiency, durability and durability of improved cookstoves as well as the emissions of fuels they use.
A scientist with the IIR, Dr Ferdinand Tornyie said this during a working visit of the Administrator of US’s Environmental Protection Agency, Michael S. Regan to the Cookstove Lab of the CSIR in Accra.
Dr Tornyie said the support personnel of the Centre was through the EPA of the US and the United Nations Foundation’s Clean Cooking Alliance, CCA.
This has supported cookstove Labs through the Round Robin Test programme and built the capacity of researchers in ISO protocol of cookstoves.
He noted that “The opportunity to participate in the programme has improved the effectiveness of the ISO Cookstove Lab, and is supporting the government to implement a new Legislative Instrument: Cookstove Standard and Labeling Law.”
The new LI will indicate the efficiency of improved cookstoves with star ratings like the grading SHS refrigerators and air conditioners.
Mr. Regan, on his part, reaffirmed the commitment of the US to continue the already existing collaboration between the two countries on a range of issues including the promotion of clean energy cookstoves to address health related problems associated with indoor air pollution which is as a result of inefficient cookstoves and fuels.
He stated “The contributions that cookstoves have to air quality, its benefits and also the climate crisis, is a big one”.
The Administrator of the EPA of the U.S. was optimistic that “Our governments can together design programmes to tackle sources of emissions whether they are coming from heavy duty vehicles or from specific facilities that are stationary”.
He commended staff of the IIR for their work in testing all improved cookstoves presented to the facility to make sure their efficiency met international standards likewise the fuels they use. R emissions from cooking fuels that cause health issues, especially among women, girls and the environment.
The Director of CSIR-IIR, Dr. Francis Agyenim said smoke from inefficient cookstoves is a major source of indoor air pollution that affects the health of most women and girls.
He stated that drought has dried up many water bodies and cutting down trees for fuelwood is contributing to climate change, hence the importance of the cookstove lab to ensure that manufactures produce stoves to meet international standards.
Poor air quality in Ghana is mainly caused by open waste burning, slash-and -burn methods of burning, accidental bush fires, energy generation and inefficient cooking practices with firewood and charcoal.
Indoor air pollution from the use of biomass for cooking causes about 13, 400 deaths in Ghana annually with the most affected people being women and girls.
