GStoves are associated with a certain appeal: a picture of high-profile chefs cooking in exclusive, high-end kitchens over an open fire. Many home chefs have abandoned electric stoves and the dated coils they use. This wisdom is being rewritten as the world gains a better understanding of the harmful effects. Health ClimateImpacts tied to our love for gas stoves
It is amazing Study published in January by Stanford University found that natural gas stoves—which More than a third of American homes use—may emit concerning levels of indoor air pollution, and could play a larger role in driving climate change than previously believed. Even when they weren’t being used, natural gas stoves were shown to release methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and other harmful pollutants—including formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide—through leaks and in the service line.
The findings raise the larger question of whether or not electric induction stoves could be safer and more efficient for households all over the world.
American kitchens leak methane
In the past, residential buildings and homes have been a blind spot in terms of methane emissions. There have been very few studies that attempted to quantify the amount of methane released from living in homes and working in buildings. StudyThis suggests that we might be undercounting the impact of cities. TheMoreover, The fossil fuel industry has worked hard to turn gas stoves into one of America’s most loved appliances.
Stanford earth system sciences professor Rob JacksonHis team at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment are helping change this understanding with their January gas stove study—the first to analyze this issue. Their work was published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science & TechnologyThe team measured methane levels and nitrogen oxides in 53 California homes at different stages of the cooking process. The analysis included 18 brands of stoves and gas cooktops, ranging in age from three to 30 years.
According to them, the methane released from natural gas stoves in the United States is equal to the emissions from half-a-million gasoline-powered vehicles every year. Just using one gas stove for a year emits on average 649 grams of methane—equivalent to the number of emissions released from driving 40 miles. These pollutants can cause serious health problems, as well as contributing to climate change. Health effectsChildren are especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases such as asthma and cognitive impairments. The gas can also release tiny particles of particulate matter that can penetrate the lungs. If this happens, it can cause irritation in the eyes, throat, nose, and lungs.
Not only is methane released when a stovetop’s in use, but also when it’s turned off. In fact, more than three-quarters of all the methane emissions released by the stoves happened when they were off, the study found—a phenomenon that is likely explained by leaky pipes, and ill-fitted connections between natural gas hookups and the appliances they power. “Merely having the stove in your house creates a potential exposure pathway to air pollutants,” saysSeth SockoloffPSE Healthy Energy executive director, which collaborated with Stanford University for the study.
Stanford study co-author says that the size of your kitchen and the type or ventilation available can also affect the impact of gas stoves. Eric Lebel. In one of the measured rooms, for instance, nitrogen oxides were exceeded by using an oven without ventilation. Safety standardsEstablished by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
According to a ReportAccording to the National Center for Healthy Housing and Enterprise Community Partners (NCHHP and ECP), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in cakes baked in a gas oven were 230 parts per million (ppb). This is comparable to the amount found in smog (around 200ppb). According to University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, a research consortium
Although the Stanford study focused on a small number homes, the team believes the state-level findings can be applied across the country with little regional variation. This suggests natural gas appliances are likely to have a greater impact than previously thought. Two decades of residential methane emission DataRMI, a climate nonprofit, supported the research. “Shockingly in the United States, gas stoves are not universally required to be vented outdoors,” RMI renewable energy expertBrady SealsTIME. “So, much of the pollution that is emitted into the kitchen stays there.”
Based on all this, Jackson “absolutely” believes gas stoves are more harmful to the environment and human health than their electric counterparts. “Stoves are the only appliance where we are allowed to emit pollution directly into our homes,” he says. “Every furnace or water heater is required to vent to the outdoors—we would never stand over the tailpipe of a car breathing, yet we are perfectly happy to stand over our stoves and breathe their pollution.”
Is induction stoves better for the climate and your health?
Induction stoves were used in Europe for decades. Over 35%The global market. Induction stoves in the United States have just begun to become mainstream. energy experts Appliance producers They are now being promoted as an environmentally friendly alternative for natural gas stoves.
Induction stoves are similar to electric stoves but plug into an electricity source. However, they produce heat differently. Induction stoves are based on induction technology, as their name suggests. An electric current is passed under the cooking surface through a coil of copper wire, which creates magnetic current that runs directly into the pan to heat. Magnetic induction transfers energy from the stovetop to any cookware with a magnetic base. It’s likely that a number of pots and pans in your kitchen right now would be suitable for an induction stove, including those made of stainless steel, cast iron, and porcelain enamel on metal. Frigidaire, an appliance manufacturer, can help you determine if they are compatible. Recommendations a simple “magnet test.”)
Stove tops are cool because heat is transferred directly into a pan or pot. Induction stoves allow for more precise heating, which results in more powerful cooking. Boil water up to 50% fasterWhile they are more efficient than their electric counterparts, they maintain constant and precise temperatures. Frigidaire.
Induction stoves are also more efficient than traditional electric and gas stoves. Energy Star, a government-backed energy efficiency monitoring system Energy Star NotesInduction cookware transfers heat with a high efficiency of around 85%. This is much higher than gas (32%), or most electric stoves (75-88%). “The per-unit efficiency of induction cooking tops is about 5 to 10% more efficient than conventional electric resistance units and about three times more efficient than gas,” a spokesperson for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency told TIME. If all U.S. cooking tops sold in 2021 used induction technology that met government-recommended usage guidelines, Energy Star estimates that cost savings would have been over $125 million.
However, this higher efficiency comes at a higher cost. Induction stoves are priced at around $1,000, compared to the a few hundred dollars for traditional electric or gas stoves. This stove is more expensive but also more efficient.
Induction stoves emit electromagnetic radiation, just like other household appliances such as microwaves and toasters. The amounts are not enough to be considered safe by the governing body. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. While SomeEarly studiesThese electromagnetic fields could be dangerous to children, as has been raised by some. FetusesThe World Health Organization in 2007. FoundThere is no evidence that medium-frequency magnet fields have long-term negative effects on human health. Gas stoves are, however, linkedTo Rates up to 42%Children with asthma.
Kenneth McCloudBinghamton University professor, Michael Sullivan, studies the impact of electromagnetic fields upon humans. He says it is difficult to control the potential effects of induction stoves and that there isn’t enough evidence to show that they are dangerous. “Are any of those effects hazardous?” he says. “In terms of what you can be exposed to in the home, I am unaware of any detrimental effects.”
As with any appliance, ensure you read and understand all safety instructions when using an induction stove. This includes using appropriate-sized and constructed cookware, as well as maintaining a safe distance using the rear cooking areas.
The future energy transition
The long-term effects of continuing to burn fossil fuels and the associated climate implications further compound health issues—from worse air quality to exacerbating heat stress and worsening natural disasters. “While we may feel the health impacts from our gas stove sooner than the climate impacts,” says Seals at RMI, “on the macro level, burning gas in our homes makes us reliant on these climate-disrupting fuels and the leaky infrastructure that supports them.”
Science says that fossil fuels must be eliminated if we want to limit climate change and reduce its effects. Some states, such as Massachusetts California citiesThey are pushing legislation Natural gas hookups are bannedIncentives and incentives to encourage all-electric construction in new buildings Rebates. New York City became the capital of the United States in December 2021. The largest in the countryTo enact such regulation.
“The idea is that we don’t want to lock in these gas appliances as infrastructure for the next 20 or 30 years—that’s how long a gas stove will last,” says Lebel. “If someone buys a gas stove today, that appliance is going to be in a person’s kitchen for the next several decades.”
In the meantime, not everyone can afford to upgrade immediately, and the environmental impacts of producing new stoves and discarding old ones before the end of their life shouldn’t be ignored either, the Stanford researchers note. Similar to electric cars, it is important to understand the implications of sourcing more resources such as minerals for stoves. So, until the right moment comes to choose induction—maybe that’s when searching for a new apartment or taking advantage of rebates to make the switch—the researchers suggest taking small initial steps to move toward electrifying residential kitchens.
These strategies include investing in induction pans that can be used with other types of stoves as well as updating electrical outlets and appliances such as induction stoves when time and money allow. To operate a natural-gas stove, you should always turn on the fan or hood vent.
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