As stated in AHAM’s filing last year with the CPSC, we do not believe that existing evidence supports a link between gas cooking and any health hazard. All cooking, regardless of the heat source, produces emissions, most notably from the food being cooked and not the appliance. Based on our preliminary review of this study, the researchers relied on older sources, including data based on the performance of 1980s-era gas appliances that have not been manufactured in decades. Any credible study of this area must utilize real-world situations with real-world products, not products that no longer exist.
Gas cooking remains a safe and preferred method of cooking utilized in 40 percent of American homes. As AHAM has stated in previous public comments, current safety standards for gas appliances provide strong protections for American consumers. We do not oppose revising these standards based on credible scientific and technical analysis and are working to that end. However, this study should not be used as a basis for policy.
While it has become commonplace to attack gas cooking as a means to further a political agenda, the home appliance industry maintains that ventilation should be at the heart of this discussion. Home appliance manufacturers support public education campaigns aimed at building owners, consumers, public housing authorities, and other entities on installing and improving ventilation in residences, including, but not limited to, the proper use and installation of ventilation devices such as exhaust hoods and fans. The evidence is overwhelming that these measures will significantly improve indoor air quality in the kitchen environment.
