SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is researching gas emissions in stoves and exploring new ways to address the health risks that come along with them.
The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found one in eight cases of asthma in American children is associated with gas stove use. Gas stoves emit nitrogen dioxide, which can be an irritant to the lungs.
These findings came from decades of research. It's an association, not causation. ABC10 Health Expert Dr. Tom Hopkins said this doesn't mean you make plans to buy a new stove.
"My advice right now would not be that you have to go out and get that changed, that it poses any immediate threat. I think probably if someone is in that environment and they do have very fragile lungs in terms of allergic reactions, it may be something to consider, but again it's the amount and the duration of exposure that is the issue," Hopkins said. "If someone is in close quarters and they were using the gas stove a lot and they're in an apartment, that might be an issue — a triggered risk for them developing asthma. I think it's probably more of a concern in someone having a young child perhaps, where it doesn't actually present itself as asthma yet."
Hopkins said this speaks to the importance of considering alternative ways of cooking or using gas stoves in a more energy-efficient and safer way.
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