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Gas Stoves Push 22 Million Americans Above WHO NO2 Guideline, Study Finds

Researchers mapped total NO2 exposure to guide targeted electrification.

Overview

  • The Stanford-led analysis, published in PNAS Nexus, combined outdoor air data with modeled indoor emissions to produce a national assessment and ZIP-code exposure maps.
  • The authors estimate that roughly 22 million people who meet outdoor standards exceed the World Health Organization’s 5.2 ppb guideline because of gas or propane stove use.
  • Average long-term residential exposure was about 10 ppb in homes with gas stoves compared with about 8 ppb in homes with electric stoves.
  • Switching from gas to electric reduced nitrogen dioxide exposure by more than one quarter on average nationwide and by about half for the heaviest stove users.
  • The maps indicate larger stove contributions in smaller dwellings and rural areas, with total exposures highest in large cities, informing interventions that prioritize lower-income communities and renters.