Gas Stoves Raise Health Alarms with High Indoor Nitrogen Dioxide Levels
Recent studies highlight the significant health risks from nitrogen dioxide emissions in homes using gas stoves, impacting respiratory health and disproportionately affecting disadvantaged communities.
Overview
- Studies reveal that gas stoves emit nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at levels that can exceed safe health standards, leading to respiratory issues and other health risks.
- NO2 levels in homes can remain elevated for hours after gas stoves are used, spreading beyond the kitchen and affecting entire households.
- Disadvantaged and smaller households face higher NO2 exposure, exacerbating health disparities among racial and socioeconomic groups.
- Effective ventilation, such as using range hoods that vent outside, can significantly reduce NO2 levels, though many homes lack proper equipment.
- Long-term exposure to NO2 from gas stoves is linked to increased asthma cases in children and thousands of deaths annually.