Cough, asthma… Gas cooking is “a silent threat to French households” because it deteriorates their health.
- More than half of French households (53%) using gas cooking (hobs and ovens) exceed the daily threshold recommended by the WHO for exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
- However, crossing the limits recommended by the WHO presents a significant risk to health, because nitrogen dioxide can cause inflammation of the respiratory tract, coughing, wheezing, reduction in lung function and an increase in seizures. ‘asthma.
- “It is advisable to switch to electric cooking, preferably combined with the use of ventilation hoods designed specifically to reduce exposure to high levels of particles from cooking,” said TNO scientist Piet Jacobs.
THE CLASP NGO And the Breathe Association ordered to the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research TNO a study on the impact of cooking with gas on health.
Cooking with gas damages your health
This survey was carried out over 5 months by TNO, which placed sensors in 35 French homes, added to hundreds of others located in 6 European countries where a large part of the population cooks with gas (Netherlands, Italy, Spain , Slovakia, Romania, United Kingdom).
According to research, more than half of French households (53%) using gas cooking (hobs and ovens) exceed the daily threshold recommended by the WHO for exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2). . “Nitrogen dioxide concentration levels were found to be nearly twice as high in homes using gas cooking appliances as in those with electric cooking appliances,” specify the authors of the survey.
However, crossing the limits recommended by the WHO presents a significant risk to health, because nitrogen dioxide can cause inflammation of the respiratory tract, coughing, wheezing, reduction in lung function and an increase in seizures. asthma, especially among younger people.
Health: “it is advisable to switch from gas cooking to electric cooking”
“With our field study, we measured that in 29% of selected French households cooking with gas, the EU limit value for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) for one hour exposure was exceeded, where the outdoor levels were lower than these values. To bring these values below the recommended levels, it is advisable to switch to electric cooking, preferably combined with the use of ventilation hoods designed specifically to reduce exposure to levels high levels of particles from cooking”, said TNO scientist Piet Jacobs.
Nicole Kearney, director of CLASP Europe, adds: “Our research reveals the severity of air pollution caused by gas cooking appliances in homes across Europe. It is vital to give people knowledge about the health risks of these products, and they have need resources to transition to cleaner, healthier cooktops and ovens. In turn, governments must protect public health, tackling air pollution at the source and supporting the transition towards a cleaner kitchen.”
“We can no longer turn a blind eye to the risks linked to cooking with gas! It is a public health issue which must be taken head-on by French politicians. To protect the French and particularly children, we must encourage and support them towards electrification!”, concludes Tony Renucci, Managing Director of Respire.
