Gas stove use may carry a far greater health cost than many households realize.
Researchers in Spain say indoor air pollution from gas stoves is linked to about 40,000 early deaths annually across the EU and U.K., and, horrifyingly, may reduce the average user's lifespan by almost two years.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Valencia and Jaume I University, investigated nitrogen dioxide levels in homes across Europe and compared them with outdoor pollution data.
What they found was striking. According to the researchers, the "presence of gas cookers at home and exposure to NO2 from gas cooking appliances produces far more health impacts in the European population than previously thought, including premature deaths and asthma in the overall population."
The text of the study also stated, "The harmful NO2 gas, emitted during combustion in gas cooker appliances, cuts short the lives of millions of Europeans cooking on gas appliances."
The Spanish study builds upon a growing body of research showing that burning fuels indoors without proper ventilation can be devastating to human health.
Get cost-effective air conditioning in less than an hour without expensive electrical work The Merino Mono is a heating and cooling system designed for the rooms traditional HVAC can't reach. The streamlined design eliminates clunky outdoor units, installs in under an hour, and plugs into a standard 120V outlet — no expensive electrical upgrades required. And while a traditional “mini-split” system can get pricey fast, the Merino Mono comes with a flat-rate price — with hardware and professional installation included. |
For example, an American study conducted on U.S. gas stoves found that their NO2 pollution could be causing the early deaths of nearly 19,000 Americans every year.
Beyond early deaths, other respiratory dangers are also evident. A now-famous study out of the Rocky Mountain Institute, published in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Environmental research and Public Health, found that about one in eight childhood asthma cases can be linked to gas stove use.
New research is investigating the extent to which other gas stove-related chemicals, apart from NO2, are endangering people. Benzene, the carcinogen that is linked to blood cancers like leukemia, for example, may regularly leak out of gas stoves, even when off.
The European population is likely more at risk than Americans of poisoning from benzene in gas stoves due to the benzene-rich gas sourced from the gas fields in the North Sea.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
But despite the specific dangers and health impacts each country's populace faces, it's clear that people deserve more information about potential risks, as well as alternatives like induction stoves that don't involve burning fuels indoors.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
Cool Picks
