A new study shows that using a gas stove at home could release harmful chemicals at cancer-causing levels. The risk for children is nearly twice as high as for adults, the study said.
Researchers from Stanford University checked benzene levels from gas stoves in 87 homes. They also studied how the gas spreads in the air and used computer models to predict its movement.
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The study found that the risk is higher in smaller homes and apartments, where benzene can easily spread due to poor ventilation. The study revealed that medium to high gas stove usage in homes with poor ventilation significantly elevates cancer risks. AAdditionally, the researchers discovered that a lack of ventilation increases the risk of health issues ninefold in adults and 16-fold in children.
The researchers discovered that switching to electric or induction stoves, opening windows, and using gas stoves less frequently can reduce the risk.
“In the US, people spend an average of 90 per cent of their time indoors, and with that figure rising with more of us working from home, further indoor air pollution studies are needed. The study demonstrates the value of addressing combustion-related indoor air pollutants to protect public health, particularly in households with limited ventilation,” the researchers concluded.
Benzene, a well-known cancer-causing chemical, has been linked to blood cancers such as leukaemia. Cigarette smoke, gasoline, and industrial solvents like paint strippers commonly contain it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), benzene is unsafe at any level. It can cause tiredness, sleepiness, headaches, body pain, tremors, memory loss, eye irritation, and skin allergies.
