GE appliance maker sued over failure to share gas stove pollution risks

Worried about emissions from your gas stove or one a family member or friend owns? The debate is heating up.

A lawsuit filed against the maker of GE Appliances by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, a consumer group, in the District of Columbia Superior Court alleges that the company is violating consumer protection laws by failing to warn district consumers that normal operation of gas stoves produces air pollution at levels that can be harmful to human health. 

The lawsuit asks the court to order Haier US Appliance Solutions Inc. to warn consumers that GE stoves produce air pollutants that pose a health risk and to display information about steps consumers can take to protect their health when operating a gas stove.

“Gas stoves can be harmful to our health when used as directed, but this crucial information is not broadly available to the public,” Abe Scarr, U.S. PIRG Education Fund Energy and Utilities program director, said in a statement.

The group’s testing has found results consistent with decades of research documenting health-harming pollution from gas stoves, Scarr said.

“Consumers have a right to know, and manufacturers are obligated to disclose, these risks,” he said. 

A study from Stanford released this month found that gas and propane stoves may cause up to 19,000 adult deaths annually in the United States, and that the number of pediatric asthma cases attributable to pollution from gas and propane stoves is likely close to 200,000.

The study is one of latest dating back to the 1970s showing that gas stoves emit potentially dangerous levels of asthma-linked nitrogen dioxide or NO2 and known carcinogens such as benzene and formaldehyde, Scarr said. 

In 2023, the Consumer Product Safety Commission opened a request for information into the hazards of gas stove pollution. Hundreds of health professionals and organizations gave feedback expressing concern about gas stove pollution. However, the CPSC hasn’t taken action.

In its second national secret shopper survey, U.S. PIRG Education Fund researchers found that the majority of associates at major appliance retailers failed to inform – and, at times, misinformed – customers when secret shoppers asked about the health risks of cooking with gas. 

The California State Assembly passed legislation requiring warning labels on gas stoves last week and now the bill is waiting for a vote by the state Senate. Lawmakers have introduced similar legislation in other states. 

“There is a substantial body of scientific evidence that gas stoves routinely expose unwitting families to potentially dangerous levels of indoor air pollution,” said Scarr. “We all deserve to be made aware of the risks associated with products so we can make informed purchasing decisions and take steps to protect our health.”

Comments

[bethhavey]

We have always had a gas stove. But this is interesting and will certainly alert me to follow the current discussion. Information is POWER. Thanks.

[Rita]

Yes, the discussion on the emissions from gas stoves is heating up. It's important to be informed.

Also, I need to write about what to do to minimize the effects of emissions such as opening a window and using the kitchen fan when cooking.