The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) of the United States is debating how to handle gas stoves. Several typical kitchen gadgets can endanger people’s health by releasing indoor air pollutants. According to Bloomberg’s Ari Natter, the federal agency, which seeks to lower injuries and fatalities related to consumer items, would explore a ban on new gas stoves along with other, less dramatic steps, like enforcing emissions limits.
One of the agency’s commissioners, Richard Trumka Jr., tells Bloomberg that “every option is on the table” despite growing environmental and public health concerns around the appliances.
He told the publication, “This is a hidden peril. It is possible to outlaw products that cannot be rendered safe.
The oil and gas business and its political supporters retaliated against the CPSC and the Biden administration almost immediately after these remarks. The safety commission’s head is now retracting these claims. The commission chair, Alexander Hoehn-Saric, said in a statement on Wednesday, “I am not looking to outlaw gas stoves. And the CPSC has no legal basis for doing so.
But, the organisation is looking for information on the topic: In spring, it will issue a public call for details on the potential issues with and solutions for gas stoves. The choice of whether and how to control consumer goods usually involves
In the United States, about 40% of households have gas stoves that are powered by some type of combustible fuel, most frequently natural gas.
However, researchers have discovered that the appliances might release into the air hazardous amounts of pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, methane, and tiny particles. Gas stoves in California were discovered to be spewing many dangerous compounds even while they were off, according to a study from October that was published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. In its tests, the non-profit Consumer Reports discovered excessive amounts of nitrogen oxide emissions and advised consumers to think about purchasing electric ranges instead.
These indoor pollutants may have a role in a variety of health conditions, such as leukaemia, heart problems, and respiratory disorders. a fresh study that appeared in the International Journal of Environmental Research in December & Public Health claims that 12.7% of occurrences of childhood asthma in the United States can be attributed to gas stoves, which is comparable to the risks associated with other factors that can cause asthma, such as secondhand smoke.
Gas stoves release heat-trapping gases that contribute to global warming in addition to the health risks they pose to the public, most notably methane, which, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, is 25 times more effective at doing so than carbon dioxide. As a result, several local governments and counties are passing legislation to restrict the use of gas-powered equipment including stoves, furnaces, and water heaters. In order to entice consumers to abandon their gas stoves, the federal government introduced subsidies for electric cooktops in the Inflation Reduction Act.
In the meantime, organisations representing the natural gas and home appliance industries claim that switching away from natural gas is a mistake that might cost customers money. The American Gas Association stated in a recent blog post that restricting natural gas could result in higher heating and overall
The American Gas Association recently stated on its blog that a restriction on natural gas might result in higher heating and total housing prices.
The trade association stated: “Pushing unpopular reforms that run the risk of sharply raising the cost of living is not just foolish, it’s blatant malpractice, and the effect might be felt by millions.
According to Jill Notini, a spokeswoman for the organisation, “all forms of cooking, regardless of heat source, generate air pollutants, especially at high temperatures,” in a statement, according to CNN Business’ Ramishah Maruf. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers claims that outlawing gas stoves would not address indoor air pollution from cooking.
Federal legislation governing the legality of gas stoves is not currently changing. “The President does not support banning gas stoves,” Michael Kikukawa, a representative for the White House, tells the New York Times’ Elena Shao and Lisa Friedman. Moreover, the independent Consumer Product Safety Commission does not forbid gas stoves.
