Posted on Jun 17, 2023
Gas stoves pollute homes with benzene, which is linked to cancer
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https://www.npr.org/2023/06/16/ [login to see] /gas-stoves-pollute-homes-with-benzene-which-is-linked-to-cancer
When the blue flame fires up on a gas stove, there's more than heat coming off the burner. Researchers at Stanford University found that among the pollutants emitted from stoves is benzene, which is linked to cancer.
Levels of benzene can reach higher than those found in secondhand tobacco smoke and the benzene pollution can spread throughout a home, according to the research.
The findings add to a growing body of scientific evidence showing that emissions within the home are more harmful than gas stove owners have been led to believe. And it comes as stoves have been dragged into the country's ongoing culture wars.
When the blue flame fires up on a gas stove, there's more than heat coming off the burner. Researchers at Stanford University found that among the pollutants emitted from stoves is benzene, which is linked to cancer.
Levels of benzene can reach higher than those found in secondhand tobacco smoke and the benzene pollution can spread throughout a home, according to the research.
The findings add to a growing body of scientific evidence showing that emissions within the home are more harmful than gas stove owners have been led to believe. And it comes as stoves have been dragged into the country's ongoing culture wars.
Gas stoves pollute homes with benzene, which is linked to cancer
Posted from npr.org
Chemicals
Hazmat
Cancer
Health
Research
Posted >1 y ago
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The article has no quantified data (apparently the full study does, and I will admit not pursuing it that far).
Certainly we are discovering various "pollutants" associated with products we previously considered safe, but in many cases this is because we are looking at "detectable" levels of the pollutants, simply because technology lets us detect minute quantities.
Another problem with studies like this is that just about EVERYTHING "has been shown to cause cancer" in mice if the mice are exposed to outrageous levels.
This study seems to claim that natural gas burns just far enough to produce "detectable" levels of benzene but somehow does not burn enough to burn the benzene despite the fact that benzene itself is flammable.
It is going to take something better than EITHER studies that are deliberately conducted to target specific products OR the counter-claims of the industries being attacked before most sensible people are going to jump firmly one way or the other. Unfortunately we live in an age where we have access to great technology to conduct detailed studies, but no trustworthy source to serve as a honest broker to evaluate conflicting claims. No one should be surprised to discover that you can tell the results of nearly all "scientific studies" just by determining who funded the study. This isn't even considered improper within the academic and scientific communities today. Every study starts with a hypothesis then conducts research to support that hypothesis. This is just like the military conducting a study to determine if the Commanding General's idea is the best way to do something. It's no surprise that the study determines that the CG was right.
Certainly we are discovering various "pollutants" associated with products we previously considered safe, but in many cases this is because we are looking at "detectable" levels of the pollutants, simply because technology lets us detect minute quantities.
Another problem with studies like this is that just about EVERYTHING "has been shown to cause cancer" in mice if the mice are exposed to outrageous levels.
This study seems to claim that natural gas burns just far enough to produce "detectable" levels of benzene but somehow does not burn enough to burn the benzene despite the fact that benzene itself is flammable.
It is going to take something better than EITHER studies that are deliberately conducted to target specific products OR the counter-claims of the industries being attacked before most sensible people are going to jump firmly one way or the other. Unfortunately we live in an age where we have access to great technology to conduct detailed studies, but no trustworthy source to serve as a honest broker to evaluate conflicting claims. No one should be surprised to discover that you can tell the results of nearly all "scientific studies" just by determining who funded the study. This isn't even considered improper within the academic and scientific communities today. Every study starts with a hypothesis then conducts research to support that hypothesis. This is just like the military conducting a study to determine if the Commanding General's idea is the best way to do something. It's no surprise that the study determines that the CG was right.
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