Is the Government Trying to Ban Gas Stoves?
AllSides Summary
When asked about the safety of gas-powered stoves this month, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commissioner said that "Products that can’t be made safe can be banned." What might that mean for your kitchen?
For Context: A recent study suggests that 12.7% of childhood asthma in the U.S. is attributed to gas stove use. CPSC's chairman clarified after the commissioner's comments, saying that "Research indicates that emissions from gas stoves can be hazardous, and the CPSC is looking for ways to reduce related indoor air quality hazards. But to be clear, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has no proceeding to do so."
Possible Bans?: "The president does not support banning gas stoves," the White House press secretary said earlier this month. But some areas do. California cities like San Francisco and Berkeley have implemented bans on natural gas appliances in recent years, and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) recently announced a proposal to make New York the first state to ban gas heaters and appliances in all new buildings. Washington state also passed a law last year banning gas appliances in commercial construction and some residential buildings.
How the Media Covered It: Some right-rated media framed the idea as an environmental effort by activists and the Biden administration that would inconvenience consumers in the name of eliminating fossil fuels. Left-rated sources focused more on the negative effects of gas and the environmental advantages of using alternatives.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
How worried should you be about your gas stove?
Gas stoves are found in around 40% of homes in the United States, and they've been getting a lot of attention lately. A recent interview with the commissioner of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) quickly became fodder for outrage, viral misinformation and political fundraising, after he proposed regulating the appliance. The proposal stems from a growing body of research suggesting gas stoves are unhealthy — especially for those with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and children.
Gas stoves also leak methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the environment....
From the Center
Yes, Chefs, The Government Is Coming For Your Gas Stoves
You might have thought the fierce public backlash that developed earlier in January when news broke of a planned effort by the federal Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) to regulate and eventually ban the use of gas stoves in the home broke in the media would have nixed that idea for now. But if you thought that, you would be wrong.
Despite the non-denial denial issued by CPSC Chairman Alexander Hoen-Sarcic shortly after the story broke, the controversy continued to bubble to the surface over the past two weeks. Commissioner Richard Trumka,...
From the Right
They’s cooking with…anything but gas: Green groups align to push all-electric stoves
Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr.’s threat of a federal ban on gas stoves this month has channeled the goals of left-wing billionaire think tanks that are making significant progress in pushing communities to eliminate fossil fuels.
A web of environmental groups is stepping up the campaign to persuade states and local communities to switch to all-electric energy. The Rocky Mountain Institute, the Sierra Club and other green groups are working successfully to ban gas stoves and other gas appliances in communities throughout the U.S. as part of an aggressive move...
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