Buying an air purifier for your kitchen

As one of the most important rooms in a home, the kitchen is a space where loved ones come together to share meals. Friends and family alike all gather here to spend valuable time together. These invaluable moments are what we should be focused on rather than worrying about breathing in potentially dangerous airborne particles. How is air pollution formed as a result of kitchen activities? Read more below about indoor air pollution in the kitchen and how a high-quality air purifier for your kitchen can help remove airborne contaminants from the room.

Air pollutants in the kitchen

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2.4 million people around the world cook using inefficient stoves or open fires that generate household air pollution¹. In general, the kitchen is one of the rooms of the home that contains the most indoor air pollution. The methods of energy used for cooking can be a source (especially when using natural gas and/or wood). Likewise, the cooking process itself is a pollution source, releasing particles into your space that are dangerous to breathe.

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Energy sources

Homes have different heat sources for preparing food. Many of these heat sources create their own air pollution. Some of the most popular sources of heat and energy used to cook food include gas, wood and other biomasses, kerosene, coal, and electricity.

As far as indoor air pollution is concerned, the two most dangerous types of fuel used for cooking are natural gas and wood. These fuel types have become synonymous with indoor air pollution. When natural gas is burned, it emits:

• Carbon monoxide (a toxic, tasteless, colourless gas also called ‘the silent killer’ that can kill if inhaled in poorly ventilated spaces)
• Carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change)
• Formaldehyde (a known carcinogen) and other VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
• Other harmful pollutants and particles²

Wood stoves, on the other hand, are responsible for releasing particulate matter (PM, or fine particle pollution) into the air. PM has a myriad of negative health effects such as various cancers, respiratory diseases, birth defects, and pregnancy complications. It has even been linked to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression.

The cooking process

Cooking itself can also release a host of air pollutants and particles into your space. They range from VOCs to unpleasant smells that are left behind. The level and type of air pollutant emitted are strongly affected by ingredients, cooking oils (and their quality), and fuels used in addition to the method of cooking. Cooking at high temperatures, particularly deep frying and grilling, can put you most at risk. Ovens that are self-cleaning can also be a source of indoor air pollution in the kitchen (even extending to other rooms), as they burn bits of food waste.

Indoor household pollution often consists of sulphurous, nitrogenous, volatile fatty acids, hydrocarbons, and alcohol compounds. Aldehydes, which irritate our eyes and skin, are also commonly released during cooking. Once these contaminants are released into the air, they cling to fabrics and surfaces and can linger for days.

One study found that preparing a typical Christmas meal can produce higher levels of PM2.5 than found on the streets of New Delhi, India³. Surprisingly enough, another study found that PM2.5 levels are highest during breakfast time. The study detected VOCs, CO2, NOx, and fine particles in the room where food was prepared⁴.

In addition to releasing air pollutants, cooking can lead to unpleasant odours in the kitchen and other rooms in the home. These smells can stick around for days in your space. Some foods are infamous for this, including bacon fat, fish, and curry. Furthermore, certain odours like those emitted from garbage bin, sink, garbage disposal, or dishwasher can all impact your daily well-being.

Health problems associated with indoor air pollution

Compounds found in indoor air pollution, especially fine particles, ultrafine particles, nanoparticles, and VOCs, cause various health effects. Some symptoms are unpleasant but considerably mild like headaches, nausea, fatigue, dermatitis, dizziness, chest tightness, and nose and throat irritation². Others are more serious and debilitating, including respiratory disease and lung cancer in non-smokers. Indoor air pollution often aggravates pre-existing conditions especially asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), other respiratory illnesses, and heart disease. These symptoms are similar to those diagnosed as a result of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). Read about Sick Building Syndrome here.

For those using gas stoves, a shocking scientific review was published in 2020. The review found that due to gas stove usage, ‘tens of millions of people are exposed to levels of air pollution in their homes that would be illegal outdoors based on national air quality standards’⁵.

Everyone is at risk of the negative effects of household air pollution. Unfortunately, children, the elderly, pregnant women, and the immunocompromised are the groups most at risk. In fact, the WHO has shown that women and children are disproportionately impacted by household indoor air pollution on a global scale¹.

How to protect yourself from indoor air pollution in the kitchen

Air pollution specialists cannot emphasise enough the importance of cooking in kitchens or rooms that are well-ventilated. Open windows and doors in the room to encourage air flow that will push pollution particles out of your space and let clean air in.

Another recommendation is to install a hood or range fan over your stovetop or hob to reduce airborne particle pollution. Unfortunately, according to a 2012 study, hoods and range fans in the kitchen have varying quality and performance rates on indoor air pollution. Their efficiency can range anywhere from 15 to 98 percent⁶. It is also common for people who have these technologies installed in their kitchen to choose not to use them, finding them too noisy or forgetting about them entirely.

On a larger scale, the WHO has provided a list of steps that we can all take to protect ourselves from the dangers of indoor air pollution. In the words of the WHO, ‘fighting air pollution is everybody’s responsibility’.

• At the national government scale: invest in innovation, research, and education that support clean air and energy initiatives.
• Cities and local communities: all public policy must emphasise and consider public health from the very beginning.
• Individuals: hold your governments accountable by standing up for your right to clean air.
• Everyone: consider the way you live and make changes.
• Reduce your contributions to air pollution by switching to greener alternatives wherever they exist.
• Reconsider your methods of transport, fuel, consumer products, and food, to name a few⁷.

The WHO also recommends air purification as an excellent way to remove pollutant particles from your air. An air purifier can protect you and your loved ones in the kitchen and everywhere at home from indoor air pollution.

The benefits of an air purifier in your kitchen

A high-quality air purifier helps to control the amount of daily air pollutants that you inhale in your space. By installing an air purifier in your kitchen (or other room where you prepare food) close to the source of indoor pollutants, you can remove airborne particles. Some particles that linger in your breathing air at home may include fine particles, smoke, VOCs, and other toxic compounds. This is an effective way to avoid developing symptoms of irritation or inflammation and contracting diseases caused by indoor air pollution, putting your health and well-being first.

Additionally, a quality air purifier equipped with odour-fighting technologies like activated carbon filters can help to remove unpleasant smells from your kitchen and/or other rooms. Say goodbye to the residual smells left over from fried foods, fish, and more.

How to choose an air purifier for your kitchen?