Gas cookers are killing 40,000 Europeans a year, scientists warn

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🗞️ Driving the news: A new study estimates that gas cookers contribute to 40,000 premature deaths annually across Europe by emitting nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) at levels above WHO guidelines
• Researchers at Spain’s University Jaume I connected data on NO₂ pollution in European homes to health risks, revealing high concentrations in poorly ventilated, gas-cooking households

🔭 The context: Gas cookers release NO₂ and other pollutants like methane, benzene, and formaldehyde, with potential health impacts comparable to secondhand smoke
• One-third of European households use gas cookers, and pollution is particularly high in countries like Italy, France, and the UK

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Indoor air pollution poses severe health risks, especially in urban areas where background pollution levels are already high
• The switch to electric cooking could reduce health issues and lower methane emissions—a potent greenhouse gas

⏭️ What's next: The EU plans to propose stricter pollution standards for gas cookers, with advocates urging financial incentives for cleaner alternatives and warning labels on gas appliances

💬 One quote: "Like cigarettes, gas cookers are a little fire that fills our home with pollution" – Sara Bertucci of the European Public Health Alliance

📈 One stat: An estimated 367,000 asthma cases in children across Europe are linked to NO₂ pollution from gas cookers

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