Links to articles about gas cookers
These particular reports by CLASP and the EU are the ones from which we quote in our report 2024-25
‘Report of the Year 2024 – January 2024 to January 2025
General comments
The charity became aware of two important and shocking reports on gas cookers
1. CLASP report on gas cookers
https://www.clasp.ngo/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Gas-Report.pdf
New research suggestions phasing out gas cooking appliances across the EU-27, in favour of electric alternatives.
Main points:
Indoor air pollution from gas cooking harms people.
Gas is not ‘natural’ or ‘clean’.
Cooking with gas is costly.
Ventilation is not enough.
Gas cooking undermines EU targets to become a climate-neutral economy by 2050.
Gas cooking undermines the EU’s electrification and efficiency agenda.
Clean hydrogen is not a viable cooking fuel.
This report states that cooking with gas releases hazardous air pollutants into our homes. ‘It was highlighted by several medical doctors that long-term exposure to low levels of CO can increase chances of dementia and, possibly, Parkinsonism.’
Note Although this CLASP was a 2023 report, we only heard about this in March 2024.
2. EU report that gas stoves kill 40,000 in EU per year
https://research.birmingham.ac.uk/en/clippings/gas-stoves-linked-to-40000-premature-deaths-in-europe-annually
The researchers attributed 36,031 early deaths each year to gas cookers in the EU, and a further 3,928 in the UK. They say their estimates are conservative because they only considered the health effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and not other gases such as carbon monoxide and benzene. ‘
From Michael Scholand
https://ecostandard.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/The-Future-of-Cooking-in-Europe.pdf
https://ecostandard.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Debunking-the-Hydrogen-Hype_M2S2-Energy-Ltd2.pdf
2024 Thousands die early from gas cooker pollution – research breakthrough
Regular breaches of WHO standards in the average home across half of Europe. See https://epha.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/epha_cleancooking_pressrelease_final.pdf
13.08.25 Global Action Plan CLASP
Clean Air Policy pathways for the transition to electric cooking in the UK
https://www.globalactionplan.org.uk/files/policy_pathway_for_the_transition_to_electric_cooking_in_the_uk.pdf
USA
https://www.yahoo.com/news/officials-face-pressure-protect-families-113048376.html?guccounter=1
Officials face pressure to protect families from hazardous household appliances: ‘The public is still largely in the dark’
https://ourcommunitynow.com/P/california-legislators-vote-to-slap-a-giant-warning-label-on-all-gas-stoves
California Legislators Vote To Slap a Giant Warning Label on All Gas Stoves
https://ecotopical.com/cleantechnica/428006/benzene-toxic-chemical-both-gas-stoves-cigarette-smoke/
Benzene: The Toxic Chemical in Both Gas Stoves & Cigarette Smoke
For levels of CO that cause brain damage in older adults* see https://www.coresearchtrust.org/media-information/three-year-project-looking-at-risk-of-co-to-older-people-reveals-concerning-findings Nobody seems to have researched the levels that affect adults, children or the unborn. *These are way below the levels set by CO alarms to EN 50291.
Alarm thresholds for domestic CO alarm
| ppm CO | EN50291 |
| 30 | NO ALARM – tested for 120 mins |
| 45 | – |
| 50 | within 60-90 minutes |
| 70 | – |
| 100 | within 10-40 minutes |
| 150 | – |
| 300 | before 3 minutes |
| 350 | – |
| 400 | – |
WHO guidelines for 24 hours are 3.5 PPM averaged over the 24 hours.
https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/what-are-the-who-air-quality-guidelines