Is my gas hob polluting my home?
Q New research suggests that gas hobs emit pollutants that are bad for our health and could even shorten our lives. Is it true?
A Over half of UK households (54%) have a gas hob. Scientists have known for some time that levels of the gas nitrogen dioxide (NO2) are higher in these homes than in homes with an electric hob.
Exposure to NO2 has been linked to a range of health conditions, including increased risk of pneumonia and childhood asthma, to name just two. The most recent research says it also contributes to an estimated 4,000 premature deaths in the UK each year and 40,000 premature deaths annually across the EU. The scientists behind the research say these figures could well be higher because the study didn’t take in to account the effect of exposure to other gases that gas hobs give off, such as carbon monoxide and benzene. They also estimate that the level of NO2 in over half of EU homes exceeds the guidelines set by the World Health Organization.
Bad for our health, bad for the planet
All this is likely to come as a surprise to the millions of Brits who cook with gas every day but don’t know what the potential health risks are. ‘Many people are unaware that their gas cooking appliances could be harming their health and the planet,’ explains Larissa Lockwood, director of clean air at the environmental and health charity Global Action Plan.
‘Gas cooking is often the biggest source of nitrogen dioxide air pollution in the home (this is the same pollutant that comes from car exhausts), with this dangerous form of air pollution then getting trapped inside for families to breathe hours after they’ve finished cooking. It is linked to a range of health conditions, including asthma, bronchitis, stroke and dementia.’ Gas hobs can leak dangerous pollutants into your home even when they’re not in use, she adds.
What’s more, because many of the pollutants that gas hobs emit are greenhouse gases that cause climate change, your gas hob is also bad news for the environment. ‘Recent estimates suggest that phasing out gas hobs by 2030 could save almost 60 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2050 – this is roughly the equivalent of the current total annual emissions of Finland,’ Larissa says.
How to limit your exposure to pollution from a gas hob
If you have a gas hob, there are things you can do to limit your exposure to the pollutants it emits. This advice from the Harvard Medical School and Global Action Plan could help.
Increase ventilation when you cook with gas
You can achieve this by opening windows and by using the extractor fan in your cooker hood if it has an external vent.
Use a different cooking method
Where possible, cook food you would normally cook on your gas hob in an electric appliance, such as an air fryer, slow cooker or microwave. If you’re reheating food, opt for the microwave.
Next time you replace your hob, consider electric
With just over two-fifths of the UK’s electricity generated using greener, renewable technologies, according to the latest government data, this could also benefit the environment.
The takeaway:
If you cook with gas, you are being exposed to air pollutants that have been linked with a range of health impacts, including premature death. You can limit your exposure by ventilating your kitchen when you cook, using electric cooking appliances instead and switching to an electric technology next time you replace your hob.
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