Do Gas Stoves Leak Toxic Chemicals? How Worried Should We be?

A study led by John D. Spengler at Harvard School of Public Health showed that gas stoves can leak toxic methane and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the home.  Some of these air pollutants are well known to cause disease.  The study also found that these air toxins can leak undetected because the levels cannot be perceived by odor. 
We have commented on this study in the press, such as in the article by Kaitlin Vogel published in Parade: “This study is well done and confirms previous studies showing that chemicals that are known to be toxic leak from gas stoves,” says Dr. Luz Claudio, MD, Professor of Environmental Medicine and Public Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Not only are some of these chemicals contributors to climate change, like methane, but they can also affect human health directly. The finding that volatile organic compounds leak significantly from gas stoves is concerning, as exposure to them has been linked to diseases such as cancer, mainly in occupational settings.”  In terms of the level of concern, it is hard to say how worried a particular person “should” be because it is difficult to determine the level of risk from exposure to gas stove fumes for a particular person or family, Dr. Claudio explains.

It is important to note that these chemical exposures were nearly eight times higher in the winter months than during the summer.  This may be due to people ventilating their homes by opening windows more in the summer than in the winter. 
“As a professional in this area, I believe that whenever possible, we should use the precautionary principle to reduce our exposures to environmental pollutants that can be harmful to our health,” says Dr. Claudio. “If replacing the stove is not immediately possible, increasing ventilation can help reduce exposure to these chemicals in the home.”
As we come to this year's winter, consider how you may be able to ventilate your kitchen area during the winter by at least opening a window while you are cooking whenever possible.  This can help in reducing the accumulation of these dangerous chemicals in your home.

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