No Longer Cookin’ With Gas
Dear Leading Ladies,
Many of us came of age in our kitchens with The Silver Palate and Moosewood Cookbook as our guides and gas stoves as our workstations of choice. Now along comes news that our gas stoves are bad for our health.
In fact, gas stoves, as well as furnaces and water heaters that burn methane (fracked or natural gas) reportedly can cause childhood asthma, increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, and neurological damage. “Stoves are a particular concern because they are not routinely vented to the outdoors,” according to Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR).
The prevalence and demand for these gas appliances means generating more greenhouse gasses, thus adding to pollution and trapping the sun’s heat in the atmosphere. In addition, “Methane also leaks out of the almost three million miles of gas pipelines across the nation,” according to PSR. “These ‘fugitive emissions’, along with the methane leaks from gas appliances and extraction sites, cause atmospheric methane to be at an all-time high, contributing to climate change.”
Our stoves are not our biggest problem…
To be fair, switching from gas to electric stoves is not the biggest way to show a commitment to fighting climate change. According to an article in the New York Times Wirecutter, as of 2015, “gas stoves accounted for less than 3% of household natural gas use in the US. Water heating used about 10 times as much gas (29%), while space heating burned more than 20 times as much (69%).”
As for the health risks, The Wirecutter contends that asthma is only a problem with old gas stoves and for people who already suffer from the ailment, though they do note a December 2022 study that attributes 12.7% of childhood asthma cases to gas stove use. Nonetheless, they stand by their earlier contention that symptoms will abate when exposure is curtailed and maintain that ventilation is the most effective preventative. They still advise switching to an electric stove, or at least a newer model gas stove – and either way, purchasing a hood-type fan and always keeping a window open.
…but it’s one we can tackle if we have money.
Sounding a somewhat louder warning, The Guardian explains, “There are two ways gas stoves pollute your home.” When they are in use, the burning gas “causes nitrogen and oxygen to bond among the flames… which can irritate the lungs.” In use, the gas stoves also emit “carbon monoxide, particulate matter and even formaldehyde. Those all have various deleterious health impacts, and can affect the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.”
Even when a gas stove is not in use, it can cause damage by emitting toxic compounds such as the carcinogen, benzene, The Guardian contends. “A study by PSE Healthy Energy found benzene in 99% of samples it took in homes in California. Other chemicals discovered included xylene, toluene and ethylbenzene, which can also cause respiratory issues and may cause cancer as well.” Is it enough to cause damage? The PSE study, as reported in The Guardian, “found that gas stoves can emit as much benzene as a cigarette, making them akin to secondhand smoke.”
And here’s the rub. Not everyone has the means to buy a new stove or a hood over their stove. Not everyone owns the appliances in their rental unit. Not everyone has a kitchen with a window or feels safe having a window open. Consequently, “Gas stove health effects tend to have the greatest impact on communities of color and low-income families, who often live in smaller homes and apartments and are likely to face greater pre-existing health and pollution burdens,” PSR contends.
So, as we continue to learn about the health issues associated with gas appliances, the rights of low-income tenants is of concern. How can they make sure their stoves have adequate ventilation? That the overhead hoods are working properly? That they might be able to get an electric stove to replace the gas one?
According to the Building Inspector’s Office in Beverly, there is no city ordinance requiring the installation of a vent or fan for a kitchen stove, although having a vent is always advisable. Our source said it depends on the recommendations of the stove manufacturer and installation requires a city permit. Although venting to the outside is best, our source said, it is difficult when the stove is on an inside wall. He could not answer if a tenant could demand a vent but suggested renters could contact the city office if they believe their stove’s manufacturer recommended a vent but one was not installed. The Inspector’s Office has a building code, as well as a mechanical code, architectural code, and several other codes they need to follow, he said, and the proper installation of stove vents falls under at least one of them.
So, imagine you are a renter for whom English is a second language. You move into an apartment that has a gas stove but no vent or one that is not working. You have to go online, assuming you have internet access, and find the manufacturer’s recommendations for your stove. If the instructions call for a vent, you ask your landlord to install one. If he or she does not, you can go to City Hall to report the problem which then may or may not be resolved by the inspector’s office, since there is no city ordinance that requires the vent.
It’s clear that until and unless landlords are required to install electric stoves and/or maintain effective ventilation systems, poor people will suffer the brunt of the health hazards associated with methane appliances.
What can be done?
There are several organizations in Massachusetts that serve low-income tenants:
Masslegalservices.org; Masslegalhelp.org; Commteam.org; Justanswer.com; Masslrf.org.
We encourage our readers to write to them about the problem facing low-income renters with gas stoves.
We would also like to see an informational campaign to inform everyone about the importance of ventilating their kitchens adequately in order to mitigate the ill effects of gas stoves. We welcome suggestions on how best to spread the word. In the meantime, we are reaching out to Rep. Seth Moulton, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, State Rep. Jerry Parisella, and Mayor Mike Cahill to reach out to their constituencies with information about how to stay safe in the kitchen, and further, to support legislation that would require manufacturers to phase out gas stoves, as happened to eliminate freon from air conditioning systems and the use of catalytic converters to reduce carbon emissions from cars.
This might include the following advice:
Gas stoves pose some real threats to our health, particularly if we don’t take some precautions.
If you are a homeowner and can afford to switch, think seriously about purchasing an electric stove.
Whether you are a homeowner or tenant, make sure you have a working fan/vent for your stove. (Most states and municipalities require their installation, if not their maintenance.)
If your fan/vent is not working, and you are a homeowner, make it a priority to get it fixed.
If your fan/vent is not working, and you are a tenant, ask your landlord to fix it. Contact your state consumer protection office if you do not get cooperation.
Always turn on the fan/vent when you are cooking with a gas stove.
Even with a fan/vent for your stove, open a window in your kitchen if you are cooking with a gas stove.
Hope to see many of you at The Cabot in Beverly next Wednesday, February 1 at 7pm for our second annual Art as Activism film screening.
Until then, if you’re cookin’ with gas, make sure to turn on your kitchen fan and open the window. It’s worth the breeze.
Therese (she/her/hers)
Judy (she/her/hers)
Didi (she/her/hers)
Mackenzie (she/her/hers)
Leading Ladies Executive Team
ladies@leadingladiesvote.org
leadingladiesvote.org