Benzene From Gas Stoves Worse Than Secondhand Smoke [Study]

Indoor pollution from gas stoves is more dangerous than secondhand smoke. Gas stoves reportedly release worrying amounts of poisonous chemical benzene.

Gas Stoves More Dangerous Than Secondhand Smoke

According to a report published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, benzene emissions from gas-burning stoves inside homes can reach quantities considerably higher than those characteristic of secondhand smoke.

A recent Stanford study said benzene is connected to leukemia and other blood cell malignancies. The analysis strengthens arguments for initiatives to remove gas connections from homes and buildings gradually.

The corpus of research demonstrating the dangers that gas stoves represent to the environment and public health is expanding. However, the fossil fuel business has actively opposed policies shifting to clean energy by capitalizing on people's aversion to gas stoves, The Verge reported.

Rob Jackson, a Stanford professor and the lead researcher on this study, said in a press briefing on the publication that he was motivated to get rid of his gas stove after observing the concentrations of pollutants climb so quickly in his own home and contemplating it happening every day.

In the news conference, hematologist and oncologist Jan Kirsch stated that benzene is the most potent chemical to induce leukemia. Kirsch, who is not one of the study's authors, spoke about how exposure to benzene might affect one's health. Not surprisingly, the goal is not to induce fear. Instead, he wants people to minimize exposure to benzene because it is hazardous.

The authors of this study claim that it is the first to calculate the amount of benzene indoor pollution brought on by gas stoves. In 2022, they looked at 87 Colorado and California households with gas and propane stoves.

A single gas burner set to high or a gas oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit produced higher quantities of benzene than the typical levels of secondhand smoke in roughly 30% of the kitchens examined.

What Is Benzene

At room temperature, benzene is a colorless or pale yellow liquid. It smells pleasant and is quite combustible. It immediately dissipates into the atmosphere. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, its vapor is heavier than air and may sink into low-lying locations.

Benzene floats on top of the water and barely slightly dissolves in it. It can result from human activity and natural phenomena like fire and volcanoes. The substance is naturally present in cigarette smoke, gasoline, and crude oil.

In the US, benzene is widely used and even ranks in the top 20 chemicals for production. It produces plastics, resins, nylon, and synthetic fibers. It also makes lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides.

Benzene can be inhaled outside due to industrial pollutants, petrol stations, motor vehicle exhaust, and cigarette smoke. Indoor air typically has higher quantities of benzene than outdoor air, typically from glues, paints, furniture wax, and detergents. Tobacco smoke is the major source of benzene.

Check out more news and information on Environment & Climate in Science Times.