The Wayback Machine - /boston-study
Skip to content

GAS STOVES ARE MORE DANGEROUS THAN YOU THINK.

New research shows 21 harmful chemicals present in gas used in homes.

Learn More 💡 Spread the Word 📢

 

GET THE WORD OUT!

The Center for Climate, Health and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, PSE Healthy Energy, Boston University, and HEET published a study showing gas stoves release at least 21 other harmful pollutants - besides methane - that put families’ health at risk.

  • Study conducted between December 2019 and May 2021.
  • Research included the Greater Boston area.

HARVARD PEER-REVIEWED STUDY FINDS:

Icon of a magnifying glass and a cloud with text saying CO2 inside
Research

The gas we use at home contains at least 21 different hazardous air pollutants, a much bigger and more dangerous quantity than previously thought.

A light bulb icon
Solutions

To reduce their effects, get a gas leak detection survey, increase kitchen ventilation and be wary of gas leaks. Government rebates could also help ease the transition to electric stoves.

An icon with the silhouettes of three people and a roof over them
Health

These pollutants impact indoor air quality and are linked to short and long-term health problems, including cancer and early asthma development in children.

burner-icon2
200 +
Gas Samples Collected
pollutants
21
Hazardous Air Pollutants
chemicals
296
Unique Chemical Compounds Identified
states
0
States Including These Toxins in Emissions Inventory
A healthy home is an all-electric home
Healthy Home
A healthy home is an all-electric home.

Gas stoves are poisoning your home with toxic pollutants. Ditching gas is the path to a cleaner home.

Spread the Word 📢
A woman holding a plate of pancakes in front of two children that look excited
Family First
Put your family first. Protect your kids from gas stoves.

Gas stove use has been linked to early asthma development in children. Don’t put your family in harm’s way.

Spread the Word 📢
A person in a suit wearing a gas mask
Bad Bargain
Gas stoves don't just release methane.

They release 21 other toxic pollutants—a bigger health hazard than you bargained for and not worth the price.

Spread the Word 📢
slide 1 of 1
A woman with her hand up over her mouth whispering to the women on the right, who looks shocked.
The Gas Industry Lied To You
Gas companies told you their product was safe.
Gas companies lied to you. They claimed their product was safe, but Harvard's recent study exposes the truth: 21 harmful chemicals come from gas stoves every time you use them.
Spread the Word 📢
A black and white photo of a women wearing a gas mask and cooking over a gas stove.

Want Gas Gone?

Ready to get gas out of your kitchen? You can make the switch right away, or wait until the end of your gas stove’s life and then replace it with an electric stove. However you decide to electrify, here’s a guide to help you make the switch to a safe, clean, efficient electric stovetop. 



How to Make the Switch

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

slide 1 of 1
A black and white photo of a flame coming from a gas stove burner.
Harvard Harvard Peer Reviewed Study
Home is where the pipeline ends.

Researchers conducted a hazard identification study, which evaluated whether air pollutants are present in natural gas, but did not evaluate human exposure to those pollutants. Between December 2019 and May 2021, researchers collected over 200 unburned natural gas samples from 69 unique kitchen stoves and building pipelines across Greater Boston. From these samples, researchers identified 296 unique chemical compounds, 21 of which are federally designated as hazardous air pollutants. They also measured the concentration of odorants in consumer-grade natural gas – the chemicals that give gas its characteristic smell – and found that leaks containing about 20 parts per million methane may not have enough odorant for people to detect them. The samples were taken from the territories of Eversource Gas, National Grid, and the former Columbia Gas, who together provide service to 93% of Massachusetts gas customers.

Download The Report
slide 2 to 4 of 3

In the not-too-distant future, America will look back at gas stoves the same way we look back at smoking indoors. Gas stoves are already linked to asthma and are especially harmful to young kids who are 42% more likely to have asthma if they live in a home with a gas stove. Now we discover they are linked to cancer-causing chemicals, too.

Liliana Arteaga, East Boston
Mothers Out Front

We have said for a while that parents need to know that like outdoor air pollution, exposure to gas stoves increases children risk of developing asthma. Today we learned about even more hazards to our families and children coming from our gas stoves.

Andee Krasner, Jamaica Plain, MA
Mothers Out Front

Gas stoves are harmful, period. They leak fumes that heat the planet and make us sick--not only when they're on, but all the time because they leak gas. Lawmakers need to learn the facts and stand up to the fossil fuel lobby. We need to stop subsidizing gas and instead promote safe, clean alternatives like electric stoves and induction stoves.

Ania Carmargo, Boston, MA
Mothers Out Front

 

Tell Congress

It's time to protect families from gas pollution.

While individuals can take steps to reduce the effects of exposure to chemicals from gas stoves, solutions at the individual level are costly and not always accessible. That's why we must pressure our elected officials and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to act in support of policy that mitigates potential health risks posed by gas stoves.