In the U.S., 38% of homes depend on gas cookstoves. The gas-fueled appliance has a committed following, with chefs and serious cooks long attesting to its—perceived—superiority over electric stoves.
But the safety of gas cookstoves has been called into question. The appliance emits pollutants that are harmful to human health and the environment. In fact, the more scientists understand these pollutants, the more concerning gas stoves become.
“You would never stand over the tailpipe of a car and willingly breathe the exhaust, yet that’s the same thing we do every day [with gas stoves],” said Rob Jacksona professor of earth system science at Stanford University.
Combustion of natural gas or propane—which gives the gas stove its heat—produces a variety of pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and benzene among others. Not only do gas stoves emit these chemicals when they’re on, but research has shown that they also leak pollutants when they’re off.
A Health Risk
Nitrogen dioxide is a particularly damaging substance emitted by gas stoves, but its effects have only come to light in the past decade or so. The gas is a respiratory irritant, exacerbating lung conditions like asthma. An analysis by the World Health Organization reported that children in households with gas stoves had a 13% increased risk of asthma, while other analyses have found the risk to be as high as 42%.
In 2021, based on a better understanding of nitrogen dioxide’s health effects, the WHO lowered the recommended exposure by 75%. And both the American Public Health Association and American Medical Association have stated that gas stoves increase air pollution and are associated with pediatric asthma.
Benzene, another compound emitted from gas stoves, is a known carcinogen also found in secondhand smoke. A 2022 study showed that gas stoves emit benzene even when they aren’t in use. While there isn’t data measuring cancer rates among people living with a gas stove, in 2019 the WHO stated that there were no safe levels of benzene exposure.
Carbon monoxide also poses a risk to gas stove users. Carbon monoxide poisoning is the more familiar risk, but it typically occurs only if a gas stove malfunctions. Low levels of carbon monoxide emitted from a properly working gas stove can also have health consequences. The EPA reported that homes with a properly functioning gas stove have 3 to 10 times more carbon monoxide in the air. And in homes where the stove is poorly ventilated, it can be much more.
There’s research showing this low dose of carbon monoxide—levels that are elevated but not enough to trigger a carbon monoxide alarm or cause carbon monoxide poisoning—can exacerbate cardiovascular disease in vulnerable populations.
Environmental Consequences
Gas stoves are not just a risk to human health, though. “Methane leaks from gas stoves into people’s homes even while [the stove] is off,” said Eric Lebel, Ph.D.a senior scientist at PSE Health Energy, a science nonprofit specializing in energy policy, referencing his 2022 study measuring indoor methane leakage of gas stoves. Methane “is a strong greenhouse gas, over 80 times stronger than carbon dioxide,” he said.
“Because methane is so strong, those tiny leaks do matter,” Lebel said. “And it’s not just from the gas appliance but the transport of that gas to your home. That’s also part of the climate impact of burning that gas in your home.”
Gas stoves have higher emissions than electric stoves—especially when you account for leaking, Jackson said. In some states where the electric grid runs on coal, an electric stove won’t be a lot more environmentally safe. But as the energy gets cleaner—and in states where they’re already prioritizing clean energy—electric stoves will become far superior for the environment, he said.
How to Reduce Your Risks
While the health and environmental risks of a gas stove are serious, gas stove users have options to lower their risk. The one that best suits you comes down to budget.
“If you’re fortunate to have the money,” Jackson said, replacing your gas stove is the best option, even if the stove isn’t at the end of its life. The trouble is, it’s an expensive transition. But research shows it can have a big impact.
Between 2015 and 2021, a national program in Ecuador helped replace gas stoves with induction stoves in 10% of Ecuadorian households. In a 2023 analysis, researchers reported that the large-scale exchange increased electricity usage by 5% but reduced greenhouse gases because the nation’s grid is 80% hydropower. Interestingly, the researchers also found that total hospitalizations and respiratory-related hospitalizations declined as induction stoves increased.
If replacing your stove isn’t an option, you want to make sure your stove is properly vented. “Every time your oven is on, your ventilation is on even if you’re just boiling water,” Lebel said.
While a hood vent doesn’t eliminate pollutants, one that vents to the outside can remove 30% to 50% of pollutants, Jackson said. Many cheaper vents, however, aren’t actually connected to the outdoors. These vents just recirculate or dilute pollutants. That might be safer for the person immediately cooking, but those pollutants are pushed throughout the house, Jackson said.
Converting to outdoor ventilation is ideal but also expensive. If you don’t have funds for this renovation, you can start improving ventilation by simply opening a window as you cook, Lebel said. This will send some of the vent-recirculated pollutants outside. You can also reduce gas stove pollutants using an air purifier. Be sure to choose one that picks up particulate matter. And finally, prioritize other means of cooking, like microwaves, air fryers, electric kettles and induction cooktops, to reduce indoor pollution.
Gas stoves do come with real health and environmental risks. But the good news is “there are things that can be done to reduce health exposure and climate impacts,” Lebel said.
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