Gas Stoves Linked to 12.7% of Pediatric Asthma Cases, Proposed Bans

In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Richard Trumka Jr, commissioner at the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), commented on plans to ban or enforce regulations on gas stoves. These plans follow a recent study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH), which revealed that 12.7% of pediatric asthma cases are linked to gas stoves.

Recent studies on asthma have continuously proven that asthma incidence, specifically pediatric asthma incidence, is on the rise, with 35% of households in the US having a child with asthma. While asthma incidence and prevalence are highly associated with environmental factors and geographical location, such as air pollution and living in urban communities, the study in IJERPH suggests an additional widespread risk factor — gas stoves.

According to the study, researchers determined that approximately 12.7% of pediatric asthma cases in the US can be attributed to gas stove use. Researchers examined what percentage of pediatric asthma cases could be prevented by eliminating gas stoves, finding varied results by state.

The states with the highest incidence of preventable asthma cases were California at 20.1%, New York at 18.8%, Massachusetts at 15.4%, and Pennsylvania at 13.5%. Texas, Colorado, and Ohio had a medium burden at roughly 10% each. Only 3% of pediatric asthma cases in Florida could be prevented by eliminating gas stoves, making it the state with the lowest burden.

Researchers in the study concluded that “Gas stove usage should be considered in multi-faceted asthma prevention approaches. Given that this exposure is preventable, our study demonstrates that known mitigation strategies will lessen childhood asthma burden from gas stoves, particularly in states with elevated PAFs. Further research is needed to quantify the burden experienced at the state and county levels, as well as the impacts of implementing mitigation strategies through intervention studies.”

With this data in mind and urges from multiple organizations, Trumka and other members of the CPSC are strongly considering banning gas stoves or regulating them heavily. While no decisions have been made, Trumka told Bloomberg that the organization plans to open public comments on the topic.

Despite the apparent detrimental health impacts of gas stoves and the need to regulate them, comments on banning them have received backlash and criticism. Many organizations with a vested interest in the continued use of gas stoves, such as the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers and the American Gas Association, have deemed this ban unrealistic and unnecessary, claiming a continued need for natural gas to provide affordable and reliable energy.

Other criticisms claim that this ban is a political power move. Lawmakers have asked the commission to reconsider a ban and urged it to consider required warning labels, range hoods, and performance standards instead. Regardless of the legislative and regulatory outcomes, it is evident that gas stoves, among other environmental and societal factors, are significant contributors to pediatric respiratory disease.