Bill to require warning labels on gas stoves passes state House Consumer Protection Committee
A bill that would make Illinois the first state to require warning labels on gas stoves passed the House's Consumer Protection Committee this week.
The legislation, sponsored by state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, a Naperville Democrat, would require all new gas stoves sold in Illinois to have a warning label detailing asthma risks associated with gas stove emissions. The bill would apply only to gas stoves manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 2024.
In a news conference to tout the bill Tuesday, Stava-Murray was joined by public health advocates from the Respiratory Health Association and the Illinois Public Interest Research Group.
"Studies have linked gas stove usage and asthma risks for more than 50 years, yet lack of education and federal regulations leave consumers largely unaware," a news release from Stava-Murray's office stated. "Labeling new stoves would help Illinoisans make informed decisions about what products to put in their homes."
The bill would not ban gas stoves or require existing stoves to be modified or removed, the release said.
The label, which would be required to be attached to the gas stove "in a conspicuous location," would read as follows: "WARNING: Gas stoves can release nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide inside homes at levels exceeding the EPA's standards for outdoor air quality. The presence of these pollutants may exacerbate preexisting respiratory illnesses or lead to the development of asthma, especially in children. Gas-powered stoves should never be used without a ducted vent hood to reduce exposure to these emissions. Visit (website link) for a guide on how to choose the right range hood for your stove."
A recent study from clean energy advocacy group RMI - which sparked national conversation over concerns gas stoves might be banned - found a link between gas stoves and 12.7% of childhood asthma.
Nearly 80% of Illinois households with children cook with gas, and 21% of Illinois childhood asthma cases have been linked with gas stoves, the study found. For comparison, the report states that in Florida, where only 9% of households with children cook with gas, the link was much lower at 3%.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, cooking with gas stoves emits nitrogen dioxide and small particulate matter, both lung irritants that can cause or worsen respiratory illnesses. The appliance also leaks methane gas, even when turned off, researchers at Stanford recently found in a study of stoves in 53 California homes.
From an environmental standpoint, advocacy groups tout dual benefits of electric alternatives to gas stoves - saving energy and reducing indoor air pollution.
"We know that many Americans prefer cooking with gas. For years, as a dedicated home chef, I was one of them. I would not consider renting an apartment with an electric stove," Abe Scarr, director of Illinois Public Interest Research Group, wrote in his testimony in support of the bill. "But as I learned about the health risks for me and my young children, I made the switch to electric induction."
The legislation has a long way to go. It must pass both the full House and Senate, and attain the governor's signature, before it becomes law.
• Jenny Whidden is a climate change and environment writer working with the Daily Herald through a partnership with Report For America supported by the Nature Conservancy. To help support her work with a tax-deductible donation, see dailyherald.com/rfa.