Get the Facts
You may have heard the news by now: “natural” gas is a hot mess. It is cooking the climate, polluting the air inside your home and constantly at risk of a dramatic and deadly explosion.
Gas is anything but “natural” — it’s mostly methane, a superpollutant that warms the planet more than 80 times as much as carbon dioxide. But that’s not all that your gas stove or furnace is letting into your home.
Researchers took samples of gas stoves and found 21 types of toxic air pollutants that can cause an alarming array of health problems. Shockingly, many of these pollutants were found even when the gas stove was turned off!
Benzene (C6H6)
Benzene causes cancer, including leukemia, according to the American Cancer Society. It’s one of the most harmful toxins found in cigarettes, and it’s also present in “natural” gas. Researchers found that using a gas stove produces as much cancer-causing benzene as living with a smoker.
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Carbon Monoxide is an odorless gas produced by the incomplete burning of “natural” gas, and it’s deadly. It’s the reason many of our homes come with carbon monoxide detectors. At least 1,200 people a year die of carbon monoxide poisoning, and gas stoves are a leading source.
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO)
Nitrogen Dioxide harms your lungs, and contributes to respiratory disease and asthma. Nitrogen dioxide is one of the byproducts of burning “natural” gas. Studies have shown that nitrogen dioxide from gas stoves gives children a 42% higher chance of developing asthma.
Formaldehyde (CH20)
You know the chemical they use to preserve dead bodies? If you’ve got a gas stove it may also be in the air inside your home, as researchers documented elevated levels in homes that use gas. Formaldehyde irritates the throat, lungs and eyes , and long-term exposure can cause cancer.
Hexane (C6H6)
Hexane is nothing you want inside your home. It is found in cleaning products, paint and as an additive in gasoline. Exposure to hexane causes dizziness, nausea, headaches and chronic nerve problems, including potential paralysis of arms and legs.
