Things aren't looking good for gas stoves. A 2022 study suggested that in-home emissions from gas appliances were sources of toxins such carbon monoxide and formaldehyde, and a more recent study spotlighted by NPR keyed in on another problematic chemical, the cancer-causing agent benzene. Stanford researchers published a paper in Environmental Science & Technology that laid things out succinctly in its title: "Gas and Propane Combustion from Stoves Emits Benzene and Increases Indoor Air Pollution." The study found that gas-stove burners emit more benzene than secondhand smoke, reports the New York Times. (It follows another study blaming 13% of childhood asthma cases on gas stoves.)
"Good ventilation helps reduce pollutant concentrations, but we found that exhaust fans were often ineffective at eliminating benzene exposure," said senior author Rob Jackson in the press release. This is the first such study to focus specifically on benzene, which has been linked to leukemia and lymphoma. "Doctors say no level of exposure is safe," per the Times. The Stanford team focused on 87 homes located in Colorado and California, and included propane-fueled stoves as well. In all instances, they discovered "detectable and repeatable levels of benzene"—enough to boost concentrations inside the homes "above well-established health benchmarks."
Gas industry responses to the study were critical, with the National Propane Gas Association telling NPR that Stanford didn't bother to "analyze real-world environments." The industry has previously blamed the cooking process—fumes from pan-frying, for example—as a source of the pollutants, but researchers say all of the benzene emissions in their study came from the stove itself. The medical establishment, meanwhile, is taking the possible dangers of using gas in the home very seriously. As oncologist Janice L. Kirsch tells the Times, "Benzene is the stuff nightmares are made of." (More gas stoves stories.)
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