Millions of Americans Exposed to Gas Stoves Face Higher Risk of Breathing More Unhealthy Nitrogen Dioxide: Study

By Madz Dizon

May 04, 2024 06:21 AM EDT

Millions of Americans Exposed to Gas Stoves Face Higher Risk of Breathing More Unhealthy Nitrogen Dioxide: Study — In this photo illustration, a pan sits on flames burning on a natural gas-burning stove on January 12, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. Consumers and politicians have voiced concern after the commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently suggested that gas stoves were a health hazard, leading people to believe that they would be banned.
(Photo : Scott Olson/Getty Images)

A study suggests that gas and propane stoves may be linked to tens of thousands of asthma cases in children. A study conducted in California and Boston analyzed nitrogen dioxide levels in over 100 American kitchens.

The researchers observed the dispersion of this chemical to other rooms after the stoves were turned off. A study revealed that stoves utilizing gas and propane contribute to an annual nitrogen dioxide exposure of 4 parts per billion.

Gas Stoves: Linked to Childhood Asthma

This exposure is believed to be accountable for approximately 50,000 cases of childhood asthma.

The researchers found that the short-term exposure to NO2 from typical gas stove use often surpasses the benchmarks set by both the World Health Organization as well as the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Residents of spaces smaller than 800 square feet were found to have been exposed to up to 7.5 parts per billion, which exceeds the World Health Organization's annual minimum of 5.3 parts per billion for indoor as well as outdoor exposure.

Gas Stove Use Raises Nitrogen Dioxide for Minority Groups

The new research has discovered that American Indian, Black, as well as Hispanic individuals in the US are exposed to levels of nitrogen dioxide that exceed the World Health Organization's benchmark simply by using a gas stove, without even considering the impact of outdoor air pollution.

Based on CNN, the exposure levels for American Indian people are 60% higher than the national average, while Black and Hispanic people experience levels that are 20% higher than average in the US.

Researchers have discovered that the harmful impacts of nitrogen dioxide exposure from a gas stove extend beyond individuals who spend significant time cooking or in the kitchen.

In the studied bedrooms, nitrogen dioxide levels above the World Health Organization's suggested 1-hour exposure guideline after only 25 minutes of cooking.

In this study, nitrogen dioxide concentrations and emissions were measured in over 100 homes across five states by the researchers. They analyzed these findings alongside national demographic data to estimate the extent of exposures and potential impacts throughout the United States, Daily Mail reported.