A Pilot Study Evaluating Changes to Household Emissions and Health Risk Following Indonesia’s Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) Conversion Program

Background In 2007, the Indonesian government implemented a strategy to remove a 40-year old national subsidy on kerosene across most areas of the country. This subsidy, used by 50 million households to meet daily cooking and lighting needs, was replaced with an unconditional subsidy on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The motivation for this transition was economic: less LPG could be subsidized to meet public energy demand. However, since the transition began, evidence has emerged elsewhere on the human health and environment risks from household kerosene. Whether the Indonesian transition from kerosene to LPG has had unanticipated co-benefits due to reductions in exposures to health-damaging pollutants and emissions has not been formally evaluated. Aims To provide the first estimates of the Indonesian kerosene to LPG subsidy transition impacts on household pollutant emissions and human health risks for selected outcomes. Methods Household surveys were administered to 400 households within a sub-district of Yogayakarta, Indonesia, to determine fuel use habits before and after the LPG transition. In 100 households, 3-day Kitchen Performance Tests and stove-use monitoring were conducted to evaluate fuel use rates. In-house cookstove emissions were measured in 15 households representing stove and fuel combinations typical of the region. Results and Conclusions Household surveys in the study region indicated that prior to the subsidy change, 76% of surveyed houses used kerosene as their main cooking fuel. By 2012, this had fallen to 7%, in favor of LPG (79%). Charcoal-using households rose from 8% to 10% following the transition, with the increase attributable to an elderly sub-population. Although 40% of houses use subsidized fuel for small-scale businesses, they constitute 65-70% of demand. Estimates of changes to population health risks and pollutant emissions will be presented. Understanding of the effectiveness of Indonesia’s conversion to LPG may provide guidance for nations considering eliminating or reducing kerosene subsidies or its use.