Cooking on gas could be behind 70,000 kids' asthma symptoms

Cooking on a gas stove caused asthma symptoms for an estimated 70,000 children in the Netherlands last year. That is the conclusion of two European organizations, based partly on research by TNO. Gas hobs produce carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and other harmful substances that can cause serious health problems.

Over 100 million residents of the European Union still cook with gas. In the Netherlands, this concerns at least half of all households. The organizations worry that the energy crisis will exacerbate health problems caused by cooking on gas. People may ventilate less to retain heat.

Civil society organization CLASP and the health organization European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) point to various studies that show that gas stoves increase the risk of asthma in children. Air pollution in the kitchen can also negatively impact adults’ airways.

In the underlying research, TNO concluded that Dutch households exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for good air quality several times a week. CLASP believes that gas cookers should come with a warning label, like cigarette packs. “EU officials have a duty to take these health risks into account.”