The pollutant, emitted by gas-burning stoves, is a leading chemical cause of leukemia.
As cities and states consider banning gas-powered stoves and appliances, a new study of 87 homes in Colorado and California found high levels of benzene emitted by gas stoves, reports Oliver Milman in The Guardian. “Leaving a single gas hob on for 45 minutes raised benzene levels to above that found in secondhand tobacco smoking, or at the boundary of oil and gas plants, with emissions 10 to 25 times higher than that from electric coil stoves.”
According to Milman, “Even low doses of airborne benzene raise the risk of a variety of cancers, including lymphomas and leukemia, by damaging people’s bone marrow. Elevated levels of benzene can linger for six hours throughout a house or apartment after a gas stove is turned off.”
The study highlights the dangers of indoor air pollutants such as benzene, which are much less regulated than outdoor air pollution. “Joe Biden’s administration has attempted to formulate efficiency standards for new stoves to lower such pollution, with around half of all stoves currently sold likely to fail the proposed safeguards.”
FULL STORY: Gas stoves emit benzene levels above secondhand smoke, US study finds
EPA Grant Will Fund Air Pollution Tracking in Houston
The city wants to monitor air quality and measure cancer-causing emissions near two petrochemical plants, one of which announced plans for expansion last year.
Hudson Valley City Bans Fossil Fuels in New Construction
Beacon will require all-electric appliances in new buildings starting next year.
Study: Electric Stoves Improve Air Quality
Air pollutants in housing units that received electric stoves as part of a pilot program dropped sharply, signaling that switching to electric appliances has public health benefits as well as environmental ones.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
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