Both the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and a coalition of national organizations, including the Rocky Mountain Institute and Physicians for Social Responsibility, have released reports commissioned by the Sierra Club this week examining the impact of gas appliances on indoor air quality and respiratory health.
In “Electrifying Residential Gas Appliance in California: Impact on Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality and Public Health,” researchers from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health report that 90% of homes in California that are cooking on gas stoves experience indoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations that exceed state and national air quality standards within one hour of cooking. The report concludes that outdoor air pollution from gas appliances costs California $3.5 billion in health costs each year.
“Health Effects from Gas Stove Pollution” draws from two decades of health research to determine the effects of gas appliance use, particularly in dwellings without proper ventilation. The report includes recommendations for the mitigation of emissions, including ventilation recommendations and the use of electric or induction cooktops.
The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health report is available here, and “Health Effects from Gas Stove Pollution” is available here. Both reports are free to download and view.
