11 Attorneys General urge federal action to address health and safety risks of gas stoves

A growing body of research finds gas stove use emits health-harming pollutants inside homes and – alarmingly – gas stoves can leak toxic chemicals and carcinogens even while off. And yet, indoor air quality in homes remains unregulated by any federal agency.

Led by District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb, 11 attorneys general sent a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) this week calling on the agency to change that. The letter was also signed by the attorneys general of Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the City of New York. 

The letter highlights studies that show that children who live in a home with a gas stove are 42% more likely to experience asthma symptoms, and that nearly 13% of childhood asthma cases can be attributed to gas stoves.

In the letter, the Attorneys General also provided a set of regulatory recommendations to the CPSC including:

• CPSC should develop uniform performance standards for gas stoves.
  • Mandatory ventilation standards are needed to ensure an effective reduction of indoor pollutants, including an automatic ventilation mechanism for range hoods that vent to the outdoors.
  • General performance and efficiency standards are also necessary, including emissions maximums for dangerous pollutants and sensors that alert users when pollutants reach unsafe concentrations.
• CPSC should work to increase consumer awareness of the health hazards associated with gas stoves so consumers can take steps to protect themselves.
  • CPSC can increase consumer awareness by requiring warning labels on gas stoves to have more information on potential health risks and conducting public education campaigns to inform consumers on the health effects of gas stove emissions and the importance of external ventilation for these products.