Gas stoves expose millions in the US to unsafe limits of nitrogen dioxide, and disadvantaged communities face higher risk
Gas and propane stoves significantly increase exposure to nitrogen dioxide in rooms throughout the home, and these unsafe levels of exposure have had harmful effects on the health of tens of thousands of people in the United States, according to a new study.
The World Health Organization has set guidelines for exposure to various air pollutants, and the new research – published in the journal Science on Friday – found that people reach 75% of the suggested annual limit for nitrogen dioxide just by using a gas stove. Electric stoves, on the other hand, did not cause any emissions of nitrogen dioxide.
Breathing air with high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide can irritate the respiratory system. Short-term exposure can exacerbate respiratory diseases, while longer exposures can contribute to the development of conditions like asthma and increase susceptibility to respiratory infections.
People who live in residences that are less than 800 square feet are exposed to four times more nitrogen dioxide from gas stoves than people who live in residences that are larger than 3,000 square feet, according to the new study.