The latest trend in regulating the construction of new homes is appearing to go mainstream, with a top Federal agency considering a ban on gas stoves.
Go deeper: The growing opposition to natural gas appliances originated out of Berkeley, Calif., where the city moved to ban gas hook-ups in new buildings in 2019.
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- Three years later, California regulators moved to ban natural gas powered furnaces and water heaters by 2030.
- Now, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is moving toward banning the natural gas stove not over green house emission concerns, but health considerations.
- The USCPSC argued that the stoves emit air pollutants that are tied to respiratory illness, cardiovascular problems, cancer, and other health conditions, reports from the American Chemical Society and Institute for Policy Integrity.
What they’re saying:
- “This is a hidden hazard,” Richard Trumka Jr., an agency commissioner , said in an interview with Bloomberg. “Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned.”
- “Ventilation is really where this discussion should be, rather than banning one particular type of technology,” said Jill Notini, a vice president with the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, pushing back on the proposal. “Banning one type of a cooking appliance is not going to address the concerns about overall indoor air quality. We may need some behavior change, we may need [people] to turn on their hoods when cooking.”
