Cooking can pollute the air inside your house to such an extent that breathing in your kitchen may be as safe as breathing by a busy roadside. A poor supply of oxygen can prevent gas or solid fuels burning properly, which produces harmful pollutants such as fine particulate matter and nitrogen oxides which can irritate lungs, increase the risk of asthma, lung cancer and heart disease such as stroke.
The extent of pollution depends on the types of fuel used. In the developed world, the most common fuel is gas and electricity. In developing countries, people depend on more polluting options such as coal, charcoal, wood and cow dung. Children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with existing health conditions are the most vulnerable to the resulting pollution.
