The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is considering a ban on gas stoves as concerns surrounding indoor air pollutants from the appliances continue to rise, according to reports.
Bloomberg reported that the agency plans to act on the appliances because the pollutants can cause respiratory and health issues. “This is a hidden hazard,” agency commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. told Bloomberg. “Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned.”
Roughly 35% of homes in the U.S. have gas stoves that, according to reports, release carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and other matter that the World Health Organization and EPA deemed unsafe because they can potentially cause cardiovascular problems, cancer and other health conditions.
After testing gas ranges and finding elevated levels of nitrogen gases, Consumer Reports strongly advised people to consider buying electric ranges rather than gas. Federal lawmakers like Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., sent a letter to the agency in December, requesting the consideration of warning labels, range hoods and performance standards, Bloomberg reported.
Policymakers at the state and local levels are also pushing to get rid of gas appliances and exchange them for electric to reduce the use of fossil fuels. Ann Arbor, Michigan, for instance, adopted the A2Zero plan in June 2020, calling on residents to buy electric vehicles, install solar panels and rely less on fossil fuels. (SOURCE)
