US Agency to Evaluate Prohibiting Gas Stoves Due to Health Concerns

The federal government is considering a ban on gas stoves amid rising concern about harmful indoor air pollutants emitted by the appliances.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission is taking action to address the pollution caused by certain consumer products. This pollution can cause health and respiratory problems.

"This is a hidden hazard that we need to address," said Richard Trumka Jr., an agency commissioner. "We're looking at all options, including banning products that can't be made safe."

According to Brady Seals, a manager in the carbon-free buildings program at the nonprofit clean energy group RMI, there is a wealth of evidence showing that gas stoves are bad for our health. The strongest evidence is on children and children’s asthma. Seals points out that by having a gas connection, we are polluting the insides of our homes.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, based in Bethesda, Maryland, plans to open public comment on the hazards posed by gas stoves later this winter. The commission has a staff of around 500. Options for addressing the issue besides barring the manufacture or import of gas stoves include setting standards on emissions from the appliances, Trumka said.

In December, lawmakers including Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and Representative Don Beyer of Virginia wrote a letter to the commission urging action on gas-stove emissions. They called these emissions a “cumulative burden” on Black, Latino, and low-income households that disproportionately experience air pollution.

State and local policymakers are working together to reduce the use of natural gas in buildings, in order to reduce climate-warming emissions such as methane. Nearly 100 cities and counties have adopted policies that require or encourage a move away from fossil fuel powered buildings. The New York City Council voted in 2021 to ban natural gas hookups in new buildings smaller than seven stories by the end of this year. The California Air Resources Board unanimously voted in September to ban the sale of natural gas-fired furnaces and water heaters by 2030.

The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law in August, includes rebates of up to $840 for the purchase of new electric ranges as part of some $4.5 billion in funding to help low- and moderate-income households electrify their homes. This could be a big help for consumers who want to switch from gas to electric ranges.

The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) represents gas range manufacturers such as Whirlpool Corp. AHAM says that cooking produces emissions and harmful byproducts no matter what kind of stove is used.

"Ventilation is the key issue here, rather than banning a particular type of technology," said Jill Notini, a vice president with the Washington-based trade group. "Banning one type of cooking appliance is not going to address the concerns about overall indoor air quality. We may need some behavior change, we may need people to turn on their hoods when cooking."

Natural gas distributors argue that a ban on natural gas stoves would drive up costs for homeowners and restaurants with little environmental gain. The American Gas Association said in a statement that regulatory and advisory agencies responsible for protecting residential consumer health and safety have presented no documented risks from gas stoves.

According to Karen Harbert, president of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and EPA, gas ranges are not a significant contributor to adverse air quality or health hazard. She believes that the most practical, realistic way to achieve a sustainable future where energy is clean, as well as safe, reliable and affordable, is to ensure it includes natural gas and the infrastructure that transports it.

Trumka, who before joining the commission worked for a House committee in a role that included work on toxic heavy metals in baby food and the health hazards of e-cigarettes, said the commission could issue its proposal as soon as this year, though he conceded that would be "on the quick side."

Trumka said that there is a misconception that you have to use gas to do fine-dining cooking. He said that this is a carefully manicured myth.