In the United States, 38% of households rely on gas stoves. The gas-powered appliance has a loyal following, with chefs and serious cooks long attesting to its – supposed – superiority over electric stoves.

But the safety of gas stoves is being questioned. The device 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 at the exhaust of a car and voluntarily breathe in the fumes, but that’s the same thing we do every day (with gas stoves),” said Rob Jackson, a professor of earth system science at Stanford University.

The combustion of natural gas or propane – which gives the gas stove its heat – produces various pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and benzene. Not only do gas stoves emit these chemicals when they are turned on, but research has shown that they emit pollutants even when they are turned off.

A health risk

Nitrogen dioxide is a particularly harmful substance emitted by gas stoves, but its effects have only become known in the last decade. The gas irritates the respiratory tract and worsens lung diseases such as asthma. An analysis by the World Health Organization found that children in homes with gas stoves had a 13% increased risk of asthma, while other analyzes found a risk of up to 42%.

In 2021, due to a better understanding of the health effects of nitrogen dioxide, the WHO reduced the recommended exposure by 75%. And both the American Public Health Association and the American Medical Association have said that gas stoves increase air pollution and are linked to asthma in children.

Benzene, another compound released by gas stoves, is a known carcinogen that is also found in secondhand smoke. A 2022 study showed that gas stoves emit benzene even when they are not in use. While there is no data measuring cancer rates in people living with a gas stove, in 2019 the WHO stated that there are no safe levels for benzene exposure.

Carbon monoxide also poses a danger to gas stove users. Carbon monoxide poisoning is the more well-known risk, but it usually only occurs when a gas stove is malfunctioning. Even a small amount of carbon monoxide emissions from a properly functioning gas stove can have health consequences. The EPA reported that homes with a properly functioning gas stove have three to ten times more carbon monoxide in the air. And in houses where the oven is poorly ventilated, it can be much more.

There is research showing that this low dose of carbon monoxide – levels that are elevated but not enough to set off a carbon monoxide alarm or cause carbon monoxide poisoning – can worsen cardiovascular disease in vulnerable populations.

Environmental consequences

But gas stoves pose more than just a threat to human health. “Methane leaks from gas stoves into people’s homes even when (the stove) is turned off,” said Eric Lebel, Ph.D., senior scientist at PSE Health Energy , an academic nonprofit specializing in energy policy, and pointed to its 2022 study measuring indoor methane leaks from gas stoves. Methane “is a powerful greenhouse gas, over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide,” he said.

“Because methane is so strong, these tiny leaks are quite significant,” Lebel said. “And it’s not just about the gas appliance, but also about transporting the 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 consider leaks, Jackson said. In some states where the power grid runs on coal, an electric stove isn’t much more environmentally friendly. But as energy becomes cleaner — and in states where clean energy is already a priority — electric stoves will be far superior for the environment, he said.

How to reduce your risks

Although the health and environmental risks of a gas stove are serious, gas stove users have ways to reduce their risk. What suits you best depends on your budget.

“If you’re lucky enough to have the money,” Jackson said, replacing your gas stove is the best option, even if the stove hasn’t reached the end of its life. The problem is that it’s an expensive transition. However, research shows that 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 swap increased electricity use by 5% but reduced greenhouse gases, since the country’s power grid is 80% hydroelectric. Interestingly, the researchers also found that total hospitalizations and hospitalizations related to respiratory infections decreased as the number of induction foci increased.

If replacing your furnace isn’t an option, you’ll want to make sure your furnace is properly ventilated. “Every time your oven is on, your vent is on, even if you’re just boiling water,” Lebel said.

While a hood vent doesn’t remove pollutants, an outside vent can remove 30 to 50% of pollutants, Jackson said. However, many cheaper vents are not actually connected to the outdoors. These vents simply circulate or dilute pollutants. That may be safer for the person cooking, but those contaminants are spread throughout the house, Jackson said.

Switching to outside ventilation is ideal, but also expensive. If you don’t have the funds for this renovation, you can improve ventilation by simply opening a window while cooking, Lebel said. This means that some of the pollutants returned through the ventilation are directed outside. You can also reduce the pollutants from a gas stove with an air purifier. Be sure to choose one that captures fine dust. Finally, prioritize other cooking methods such as microwaves, air fryers, electric kettles, and induction cooktops to reduce indoor air pollution.

Gas stoves pose real health and environmental risks. But the good news is: “There are things that can be done to reduce the health burden and climate impact,” Lebel said.