A new bill in California will require warning labels on all gas stoves starting next year, alerting consumers to associated health risks.
If bill AB2513, introduced by Democratic Rep. Gail Pellerin, passes, these labels would be required on gas stoves starting in 2025.
Supporters of the bill believe it will help families address asthma and other respiratory illnesses caused by exposure to stove exhaust fumes, but industry advocates say the bill unfairly targets gas products and should remember that proper ventilation is necessary regardless of fuel source.
The bill would make it illegal to sell any gas stove manufactured or sold online after Jan. 1, 2025, or sold in a store after Jan. 1, 2026, “unless it bears a conspicuously placed adhesive label,” according to the bill’s text.
According to the bill, for online sales, websites would be required to “prominently post a warning containing specific statements regarding air pollutants that may be emitted from the gas stove, along with other specified requirements.”
last year, A controversy erupted over the gas stove. According to multiple reports, Rich Trumka Jr., one of the five commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, has suggested that an outright ban on new gas stoves is being considered amid growing concerns about indoor air pollutants.
But the commissioner walked back his comments after a media uproar, saying the agency was “not taking aim at anyone’s stoves” but would “consider all regulatory avenues” to protect consumer health and safety.
The Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization say gas stoves are unsafe and are linked to respiratory illnesses like asthma, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other health conditions. Reports say by organizations such as the Institute for Policy Integrity and the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
According to 2022 Research Presentation Writing in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers found that 12.7 percent of current childhood asthma cases in the United States can be attributed to gas stove use.
In a statement to Politico, Pellerin reiterated that California’s proposed bill is not a ban on gas stoves.
“It’s basically just mandating a label and warning people on the best way to use it with good ventilation,” Pellerin said.
Jen Engstrom, state director of the California Public Interest Research Group, said the bill is designed to provide consumers with the right information so they can make “educated purchasing decisions.”
“Gas stoves release contaminants into the home that put families at increased risk for childhood asthma and other respiratory illnesses,” Engstrom told FOX Business. “Many people are unaware of the contamination. We believe consumers have a right to know the truth about the dangers of cooking on a gas stove so they can make the right decisions to properly protect their families, and these warning labels will do just that.”
FOX Business has reached out to Rep. Gayle Pellerin’s office for comment.
Specifically, the warning label states:
“WARNING: Gas stoves can release nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and other harmful pollutants into the air. These are toxic to people and pets. Stove emissions, especially from gas stoves, have been linked to an increase in respiratory illnesses.”
Young children, people with asthma and those with heart or lung disease are especially susceptible to the toxic effects of combustion pollutants. To reduce the risk of inhaling harmful fumes, ventilate the area and turn on the exhaust hood when using gas stoves or ranges.”
The American Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, an industry advocacy group, opposes the bill, saying the proposed warning labels are “filled with misleading statements about gas cooking.”
AHAM spokeswoman Jill Notini said the bill is “another attempt to scare consumers.”[s] About gas products.
“As currently proposed, companies would be forced to make false, misleading and scientifically disputed claims that their products pose serious adverse health effects, despite the absence of robust scientific consensus,” according to AHAM.
“Ventilation (running a fume hood, air purifier, bathroom exhaust fan or opening a window) helps reduce the effects of odours, heat and pollutants produced when cooking food on a gas or electric stove,” Notini argued.
Notini said that if the issue is about indoor air quality, “[T]The message is simple: “All cooking requires ventilation. Stop obsessing over gas.”
The group supports education and requirements to increase ventilation use for both gas and electric appliances, Nottini said.
FOX Business’ Sarah Rumpf contributed to this report.
