According to a recent study conducted by scientists at Stanford University, Harvard University, and the Central California Asthma Collaborative, Americans from poorer backgrounds and those from racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately exposed to harmful gas stove pollutants. This revelation is the latest in a series of findings that highlight the unequal distribution of health risks associated with gas stove usage in the country.
Unveiling the Secrets of Gas Stove Pollutants
Gas stoves are known to emit nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide, pollutants that can induce respiratory issues. These emissions can reach levels that exceed the safety standards set by both the US Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization (WHO). This particular study, published in Science Advances, is the first to assess NO2 pollution from gas stoves across different home types, income brackets, racial groups, and cooking habits. It also calculates the cost of preventable childhood asthma cases resulting from this exposure.
The Methodology and Findings
To carry out the study, the researchers designed a model to estimate gas stove NO2 concentrations. They combined a federal indoor air quality model with field measurements collected from over 100 homes of various sizes in five US states. They then applied this model to 7,632 houses that use gas, propane, and mixed-fuel stoves, as per the US Energy Information Administration’s 2020 Residential Consumption survey.
The study found that American Indian and Alaska Native households face the highest long-term exposure to NO2, with levels 60% higher than the national average. Black, Hispanic, and Latino households suffer 20% more exposure than the average. In fact, stoves alone expose these groups to more NO2 pollution than is safe according to the WHO.
Households with an income under $10,000 per year experience double the exposure to gas stove pollution compared to those earning more than $150,000. The researchers concluded that these disparities are largely due to differences in home size, although other factors such as cooking behavior, ventilation, and time spent indoors could also play a role.
The Implications of Gas Stove Pollution
Based on established epidemiological relationships, the researchers estimated that gas and propane stoves contribute to up to 19,000 adult deaths annually in the US, as well as 200,000 childhood asthma cases. The societal cost of this harm amounts to around $1 billion.
Rob Jackson, professor of earth system science at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and the principal investigator of the study, stressed the importance of cleaning up indoor air, which most people spend around 90% of their time breathing.
Annie Carforo, climate justice campaigns manager at the Manhattan-based group WE ACT for Environmental Justice, echoed the findings. She stated that people of color and low-income individuals are more likely to live in smaller, older apartments with poor ventilation and outdated appliances that leak more gas.
Proposed Solutions and Challenges
Removing gas and propane stoves is the most effective solution for individuals. Those who can’t afford an immediate replacement or don’t have the option as renters can resort to other measures such as using a portable induction burner, an air filter, opening windows when cooking, and using range hoods that circulate the kitchen air outdoors. However, cost remains a barrier for many.
While tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act can help reduce the price of an electric stove, the researchers believe stronger regulations are needed to help households switch and keep gas out of new buildings. However, this idea has sparked controversy in the US.
As Kevin D. Hamilton, a registered respiratory therapist and senior director of government affairs at the Central California Asthma Collaborative, puts it, “Our biggest problem is the political unreality of the whole situation.” He expresses hope that researchers will continue providing hard data to bring some sanity into the conversation.
