Overview

Energy brings life to the world. Every person on this planet, wherever they live, depends every
day on energy to feed and nurture their families, to provide heat and light, and to transport goods
and people to their destinations. But generating energy can also generate pollution which can be
very harmful to human health. Fortunately, some fuels burn much more cleanly and have greatly
reduced potential to affect human health.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LP Gas) is one of these fuels. The World Health Organisation, in a recent
report which evaluates strategies to avoid the devastating health consequences of exposure to
wood-fire cooking in poorer countries, had this to say about the value of switching to LP Gas:
“...investing US$13 billion per year to halve, by 2015, the number of people
worldwide cooking with solid fuels by supplying them with liquefied petroleum
gas, shows a payback of US$91 billion per year.” (WHO, 2006)
One of the most dangerous pollutants from combustion sources is fine particulate matter (PM),
which can penetrate deep into human lungs, causing respiratory illnesses, heart disease and
neurological problems. Reducing exposure to PM is the highest air quality priority for most
countries in both developed and developing regions. A recently completed study by the Harvard
School of Public Health and Brigham Young University (Pope, 2009) emphasises this point, when
they found that:
“...for every decrease of 10 micrograms per cubic meter of particulate pollution in
a city, its residents' average life expectancy increased by more than seven
months.”
To put this in context, Paris has an ambient PM concentration of around 15 micrograms per cubic
metre (μg/m3). In some Asian cities the level can rise to above 100 μg/m3, and in a dwelling
where indoor wood fire cooking takes place, the level can be an order of magnitude higher again.
PM emissions from combustion of LP Gas are typically around 1000 times lower than wood
burning, and can be 100 times lower than combustion of diesel fuel.
This independent report, commissioned by the World LP Gas Association (WLPGA), explores and
compares the health impacts on society caused by pollutants emitted by a range of commonly
used fuels. Where it is feasible and relevant to do so, estimates are also made of the direct and
indirect economic costs associated with these health effects. As part of a trilogy of related
documents, this report complements two other WLPGA publications which address Energy
Efficiency and Climate Change issues.
In these more enlightened times we now recognise that the fuels we use to provide this energy
must also respect the environment and the well-being of people living on this planet, as well as
satisfying our energy needs.
Our understanding of how air pollutants affect human health has greatly improved. With this
understanding we can estimate the economic costs associated with medical care, lost productivity
and the provision of social services to support those affected.
Hundreds of pollutants have potential to damage human health. Of these, the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified six, referred to as "criteria pollutants" as
being the highest priority. The pollutants are:
• ground-level ozone (O3)
• sulphur oxides (SOx)
• carbon monoxide (CO)
• nitrogen oxides (NOx)
• lead (Pb)
• particulate matter (PM)
Because of their role in the formation of ground level ozone, volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
are also widely regulated. Many dangerous compounds classed as “air toxics” are also categorised
as VOCs.
Health damage caused by exposure to these pollutants generates a huge social and economic
burden for society, running into hundreds of billions of dollars every year.
For PM alone, an extensive European Union research project on the health impacts of airborne
particles, completed in 2005 by the World Health Organisation (WHO), emphasises this point. The
researchers’ findings are both clear and very disturbing:
“Air pollution from particulate matter (PM) claims an average of 8.6 months
from the life of every person in the European Union (EU)” (WHO, 2005-1)
The same WHO report concluded that exposure to fine particles in the EU resulted in avoidable
economic costs in the range €58 billion to €161billion annually.
Sources of energy-related pollution are numerous. In terms of human activity transport, industry,
power generation, domestic cooking/heating and deforestation burning are the most prevalent.
Volcanic activity and naturally occurring forest/grassland fires can also be the cause of major
pollution episodes, but society has only very limited ability to mitigate the consequences of these
events.
In many poorer countries, cooking over an open fire using wood, charcoal, crop waste or even
animal dung has a devastating impact on human health. Exposure to the extremely high levels of
pollutants emitted by these fires is reported by the WHO and other independent researchers to
cause the premature deaths of more than 1.5 million people every year. Women and young
children are those most greatly affected.
On a broader front, traditional liquid fuels such as gasoline (petrol), diesel and kerosene, have
complex chemical structures. When burned, these fuels can release a range of harmful
compounds; some of which are linked to serious and frequently life-threatening illnesses.
The types of fuel used and the way they are employed may vary from one region to another but
the pollution they produce, and the health consequences that follow, exist at every level of
society, in the poorest to the richest nations.
Reflecting this growing awareness, governments around the world have introduced or
encouraged a wide range of measures to reduce pollutant emissions through regulation,
education and incentive-based programs.
Switching to cleaner burning gaseous fuels has been an important element of these measures.
Gaseous fuels such as LP Gas have a very simple chemical structure which promotes clean
burning, with greatly reduced levels of combustion by-products.
The following chart (BIC, 2001) provides a graphic picture of the overall damage to society caused
by a number of widely used existing transport fuels, together with some emerging alternative
fuels, when used in an urban bus application. The value of switching to LP Gas is self-evident.

As well as being an exceptionally good transport fuel for passenger cars and many types of
commercial vehicles, LP Gas is a proven and practical alternative energy source for a wide range
of domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural and transport applications, including:
• Cooking
• Residential space and water heating
• Distributed electrical power generation
• Industrial appliances (e.g. compressors, water blasters, pumps, etc)
• Industrial processes(e.g. flame cutting, dryers, process heaters)
.....and many more
From a purely practical standpoint, of all the gaseous fuels, LP Gas excels
through its ability to be liquefied at low pressure then safely transported
in bulk to almost any location. LP Gas can then be dispensed as easily as
gasoline or diesel for use in a wide range of domestic, commercial,
industrial, agricultural and transport applications.
So, no matter whether you are a cosmopolitan city dweller or living in a
remote village, fuelling a car or cooking a simple meal, choosing LP Gas
will benefit you and the people around you.
To Summarise:
The availability of controllable energy for cooking, warmth, production and transport is essential
for human existence.
Selecting the optimum fuel for a given task can benefit society, not only by reducing human
exposure to harmful pollutants, but also in direct monetary terms by reducing the burden of
providing medical care and social services for those affected.
For businesses, a healthier workforce means enhanced productivity and a lower risk of economic
trauma from the loss of a vital team member.
The benefits do not end with its contribution to the wellbeing of society. Viewed from almost any
perspective, LP Gas stands out as the cleanest, most convenient and accessible alternative to the
traditional fuels, as well as having among the lowest greenhouse gas emissions. In many
instances it can also be the lowest cost option.