A man makes honeycomb coal from a mixture of mud and coal powder for use in coal stoves

Nearly a third of the households in Hanoi use coal for heating and cooking but risk poisoning from inhaling the toxic fumes, experts warned at a Wednesday seminar discussing the safety of burning coal at home.

He said most of the victims had burnt coal in closed spaces while toxin levels depended on how long they had inhaled the fumes, which causes a lack of oxygen in the brain.

“Some families sealed the doorways to burn coal for heat,” he said. “Many houses are small, crowded and the coal easily burns all the oxygen inside.

The burning coal emits poisonous gases, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide.”

A survey found 30 percent of families in Hanoi use honeycomb coal, a product molded from coal powder and a type of adhesive to fit in common coal stoves. The rate is even higher in rural areas - between 60 and 70 percent.

Experts also warned that honeycomb coal usage would increase soon as residents wanted to avoid the increasing prices of electricity and liquefied petroleum gas.

The popular honeycomb coal is made from 90 to 95 percent coal powder bound with a kind of mud.

Due said both organic and inorganic substances in the mud also released toxic gases when burnt.

“Some makers have recently used motor lubricants and advertised their products as ‘super’ coal as they are easier to ignite,” he said.

People should avoid burning coal in unventilated spaces and inhaling the fumes as much as possible.

Reported by Truong Dinh