The recent opinion piece by Andy Larsen, titled “Just how dangerous are gas stoves? To indoor pollution? To your health?”, is dangerously misleading.
The author admits in the piece that there’s no conclusive study that shows that gas stoves cause asthma or other health problems. In fact, there are no documented risks to respiratory health from natural gas stoves from the government regulatory and advisory agencies responsible for protecting residential consumer health and safety. The studies cited in this piece also do not mention that emissions from the cooking process represent the chief source of concern with respect to indoor air quality.
Another key point that is excluded is that switching to an electric stove is expensive with little environmental benefit. Carbon dioxide emissions from natural gas homes are 22% lower than an all-electric home.
The abundance of clean natural gas in America makes it an affordable option for families and businesses. In Utah alone, a new gas home is 37 percent cheaper to operate annually than an electric home. Natural gas is projected to be 1/2-1/3 the price of other fuels through 2050.
Natural gas is safe and affordable and the switch from this reliable energy source would be costly and burdensome to many consumers. This article uses biased studies to create panic to the nearly one million Utah residents who rely on natural gas, rather than relying on the facts.
Through continued research and development, the natural gas industry will continue to lead the way in emissions reductions and play an essential role in America’s clean energy future.
Karen Harbert, president and CEO of the American Gas Association, Washington D.C.