As if the Ukrainian conflict wasn’t enough, there’s yet another mass murderer running rampant — your very own gas stove!
A new study (conducted between 2019–2021) has just confirmed that gas stoves (and ovens) aren’t as good as previously thought and dump harmful toxins into your kitchen air, even when turned off!
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health analyzed 200 natural gas samples and discovered 21 poisonous gases that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified as carcinogenic.
The results — published in Environmental Science & Technology — were sampled from 69 stoves and pipelines around the Boston metro area, of which 95% contained benzene.
As per the CDC, benzene affects red and white blood cells and negatively impacts immune function. In some cases, it can even cause anemia.
Gas leaks are incredibly hard to detect since they’re mostly odourless; no wonder indoor air is 30 times more polluted than outdoor air!
Ever since the lockdown, people have become more aware of indoor air quality (or at least the lack of it). As a result, an increasing number of individuals air their households regularly, as should you.
But wait, there’s more!
It’s not just indoor air. Hazardous fumes also fill the streets where pipelines transport natural gas. So, perhaps we should reconsider its reputation as a “clean-burning fossil fuel” and try limiting its use.
Many Americans have already invested in expensive indoor air-cleaning appliances. Yet, a few houseplants that act as natural air purifiers will do just as fine a job!
