Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SANSALVADOR158
2007-01-30 16:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy San Salvador
Cable title:
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION IN EL SALVADOR
how-toVZCZCXYZ0761 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHSN #0158 0301607 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 301607Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5021 INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 000158
SIPDIS
FOR OES/IHA DANO WILUSZ
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SENV ES
SUBJECT: INDOOR AIR POLLUTION IN EL SALVADOR
REF: 2006 STATE 192919
UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 000158
SIPDIS
FOR OES/IHA DANO WILUSZ
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SENV ES
SUBJECT: INDOOR AIR POLLUTION IN EL SALVADOR
REF: 2006 STATE 192919
1) Approximately 65 percent of Salvadoran households (87 percent in
rural areas) utilize firewood for energy needs, mainly cooking. The
high usage of firewood, often in poorly constructed stoves, is the
main contributor to indoor air pollution in the country. This
dependence on firewood also exacerbates deforestation in El
Salvador, which counts only 12 percent of its territory as
woodlands, and only 3 percent is virgin forest.
2) The GOES carries out limited interventions through two ministries
in regards to indoor air pollution, the Ministry of Public Health
(MSP) and the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources
(MARN). The MSP focuses primarily on information and training,
giving educational talks to schools in rural and urban communities
on the negative health effects caused by the use of wood burning
stoves. These talks are sometimes co-facilitated with the MARN.
3) The MARN carries out most of their interventions through their
Decontamination of Critical Areas project, which includes a four
year, $1.3 million portion for air quality that ends in 2008. This
project focuses almost exclusively on vehicular emissions in
metropolitan San Salvador, which the MARN considers the primary
concern for metropolitan areas. There is some minor involvement in
the cities of Santa Ana, San Miguel, and Sonsonate, also in
vehicular emissions. Interventions are focused on carrying out base
line diagnostics, developing air pollution legislation, and
producing a national strategy document that will be competed as a
deliverable at project's end.
4) In addition, there is some work being done through various
non-government organizations in the promotion of improved wood
stoves that consume less wood and produce less smoke inside the
home. Most of this work is uncoordinated and not directly supported
by the GOES.
5) The GOES considers that the use of unimproved wood burning stoves
is the primary contaminant for IAP in non metropolitan areas. USAID
recommends the promotion of locally available improved cook stoves
to mitigate this impact. Given El Salvador's advanced level of
deforestation, this would also contribute to the conservation of the
country's forests and watersheds.
Glazer
SIPDIS
FOR OES/IHA DANO WILUSZ
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON SENV ES
SUBJECT: INDOOR AIR POLLUTION IN EL SALVADOR
REF: 2006 STATE 192919
1) Approximately 65 percent of Salvadoran households (87 percent in
rural areas) utilize firewood for energy needs, mainly cooking. The
high usage of firewood, often in poorly constructed stoves, is the
main contributor to indoor air pollution in the country. This
dependence on firewood also exacerbates deforestation in El
Salvador, which counts only 12 percent of its territory as
woodlands, and only 3 percent is virgin forest.
2) The GOES carries out limited interventions through two ministries
in regards to indoor air pollution, the Ministry of Public Health
(MSP) and the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources
(MARN). The MSP focuses primarily on information and training,
giving educational talks to schools in rural and urban communities
on the negative health effects caused by the use of wood burning
stoves. These talks are sometimes co-facilitated with the MARN.
3) The MARN carries out most of their interventions through their
Decontamination of Critical Areas project, which includes a four
year, $1.3 million portion for air quality that ends in 2008. This
project focuses almost exclusively on vehicular emissions in
metropolitan San Salvador, which the MARN considers the primary
concern for metropolitan areas. There is some minor involvement in
the cities of Santa Ana, San Miguel, and Sonsonate, also in
vehicular emissions. Interventions are focused on carrying out base
line diagnostics, developing air pollution legislation, and
producing a national strategy document that will be competed as a
deliverable at project's end.
4) In addition, there is some work being done through various
non-government organizations in the promotion of improved wood
stoves that consume less wood and produce less smoke inside the
home. Most of this work is uncoordinated and not directly supported
by the GOES.
5) The GOES considers that the use of unimproved wood burning stoves
is the primary contaminant for IAP in non metropolitan areas. USAID
recommends the promotion of locally available improved cook stoves
to mitigate this impact. Given El Salvador's advanced level of
deforestation, this would also contribute to the conservation of the
country's forests and watersheds.
Glazer