Electrifying Cooking in Europe
With support from the European Climate Foundation (ECF), CLASP is working with partners across Europe to raise awareness about the health risks of cooking with gas and brings technical evidence to accelerate the transition to electric cooking.
Materials are available in Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Romanian, Slovak, and Spanish at the bottom of the page. You may also find a Google Translate option for the webpage.
40+ years of research links respiratory, mental, and other health risks to indoor gas stove pollution.
It’s Time to Electrify Cooking
Across Europe, millions of people sit down to dinner prepared on gas hobs and ovens, completely unaware of the invisible air pollution surrounding them. Cooking with gas releases toxic pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ultrafine particles, into the air, putting the health of those households at risk.
Like the emissions from a car exhaust pipe, breathing the pollution from burning fossil gas in your kitchen will have a negative impact on your family. Forty years of research have shown that the air pollution from using gas cooking appliances can cause respiratory diseases like asthma. Children and low-income communities face the greatest risk of negative health effects.
The active review of the domestic cooking appliances Ecodesign and Energy Labelling regulations in the EU and the UK offers an opportunity to eliminate the health risks from burning fossil gas in kitchens across all of Europe. These updated policies that take new gas cooking appliances off of shelves can be further accelerated with the phase-out of existing stock through additional national and local policies.
It is time to seize the moment and transition toward clean, electric cooking technologies like hot plates and induction.
CLASP is partnering with organisations, advocates and experts from across sectors to raise awareness on the consequences of gas cooking and develop a robust evidence base in favour of clean cooking policies in the EU and UK.
Now, a growing network of civil society and environmental organizations is calling on governments in London, Brussels, and across the EU to take policy action to protect communities from the hazards of gas cooking.
Resources by Language
Dutch
See our resources in Dutch
Reports:
- De lucht klaren: koken op gas en verontreiniging in de Europese woning
- Executieve samenvatting – De lucht klaren: koken op gas en verontreiniging in de Europese woning
Press releases:
Press:
- AVROTROS Radar: Koken gevaarlijker dan je misschien denkt
- RTL Nieuws: Koken op gas slecht voor luchtkwaliteit in huis: ‘Gebruik liever inductie’
- AD: TNO adviseert: Doe het gasfornuis in de ban
- Het Parool: Koken op gas blijkt zeer slecht voor de lucht in huis: ‘Kies inductie en gebruik in ieder geval de afzuigkap’
English
See our resources in English
Reports:
- Total Cost of Ownership of Domestic Gas and Electric Hobs in Europe
- Clearing the Air: Gas Cooking and Pollution in European Homes
- Health Effects in Europe from Cooking on Gas – Phase II Field Study | TNO Publications
- Consumer Perspectives of Gas and Electric Cooking: Evidence from Four National Surveys in Europe
- Exposing the Hidden Health Impacts of Cooking with Gas in the EU
- The Public Health and Environmental Impacts of Cooking with Gas in the UK
- UK Consumer Survey Results
- Health effects in EU and UK from cooking on gas | TNO Publications
- Effect of hydrogen gas mixes on gas hob emissions | TNO Publications
Factsheets:
- Gas Cooking in the UK
- CO2 Emission Reduction Scenarios from a Transition to Electric Cooking Appliances
- Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Factsheet
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How to Improve Air Quality in Your Home When You Have a Gas Hob or Oven
- Cooking on Gas Releases Hazardous Pollutants into European Homes
- Exposing the Hidden Health Impacts of Cooking with Gas
Videos:
- What happens when we use gas cooking appliances? CLASP asked the experts.
- What are the health risks linked to cooking with gas?
- Are some people more sensitive to the health impacts linked to cooking with gas?
- Are people aware of the impacts of cooking with gas?
- What can people do to protect themselves from the health risks linked to cooking with gas?
- Why is now the right time to switch to electric cooking alternatives?
- CLASP’s Research on Gas Cooking and Pollution in European Homes
- Clearing the Air: Gas Cooking and Pollution in European Homes
- Consumer Perspectives of Gas and Electric Cooking: Evidence from Four National Surveys in Europe
Webinar recordings:
- 9 November 2023: The Health and Environmental Harm of Gas Cooking
- 8 June 2023: The Health and Environmental Effects of Gas Cooking in the UK
- 9 January 2023: Exposing the Hidden Health Impacts of Gas Cooking
Partner resources:
- Clean Air Hub | Global Action Plan: Gas Cooking and Air Pollution
- Global Action Plan: Cooking on gas: How harmful is gas cooking in the home?
- Global Action Plan: Time to get some fresh air: the not-so-hidden dangers of indoor air pollution
Press releases:
- Gas cooking appliances cause regular pollution breaches in homes across Europe
- IKEA Netherlands to end sales of gas cooktops
- Gas cookers regularly breach air pollution limits
- UK policies do not protect the public from the impacts of gas cooking
Press:
- Forbes: How Spending Long Winter Days Indoors Can Impact Your Health
- The Guardian: Gas cookers pump out toxic particles linked to childhood asthma, report finds
- Bloomberg: Gas Stoves Mean Dangerous Pollution in Most Homes, Study Finds
- The Telegraph: Why your extractor fan won’t help if you’re cooking with gas
- BBC: Action urged to cut gas cooker health risks
- Forbes: Can Gas Cooking Impact Your Health And Indoor Air Quality?
- Euronews: Gas industry knew about indoor pollution from stoves 50 years ago, investigation reveals
- France 24: Asthma study sparks debate about safety of cooking with gas
- The Brussels Times: Around 15,000 children in Belgium may have asthma due to gas stove pollution
- Euronews: Gas cookers as toxic as ‘second hand smoke’, study reveals
French
See our resources in French
Reports:
- Cuisiner au gaz : Résultats d’une étude paneuropéenne sur la qualité de l’air intérieur
- Résumé – Cuisiner au gaz : Résultats d’une étude pan-européenne sur la qualité de l’air intérieur
- Perspectives des consommateurs sur la cuisson au gaz et électrique : Preuves tirées de quatre enquêtes nationales en Europe
- Résumé – Les perspectives des consommateurs européens sur la cuisson au gaz et à l’électricité : Preuves tirées de quatre enquêtes nationales
- Exposer les effets cachés sur la santé de la cuisson au gaz
Factsheets:
- La cuisson au gaz en France
- Fiche informative sur l’éco-conception et l’étiquetage énergétique
- Comment améliorer la qualité de l’air dans votre maison lorsque vous avez une cuisinière ou un four à gaz
- La cuisson au gaz libère des polluants dangereux dans les foyers européens
- Les effets sanitaires cachés de la cuisson au gaz
Partner resources:
Press releases:
- Les cuisinières à gaz sont un facteur de pollution de l’air intérieur dans la plupart des foyers français
- La cuisson au gaz émet des niveaux de pollution hebdomadaires supérieurs aux recommandations de l’OMS
Press:
- Le Point : Cuisine au gaz : une étude pointe une surexposition au dioxyde d’azote dans les foyers français
- TF1 Info : Cuisson au gaz : alerte sur une “menace silencieuse” pour la santé des foyers français
- Le Parisien : La cuisson au gaz pollue davantage l’air intérieur
- BFM TV : “Un risque accru de 20%” : L’impact de la cuisine au gaz sur la santé pointé du doigt par une étude
- La Voix du Nord : Cuisson au gaz: une étude alerte sur une menace largement ignorée par les foyers français
German
See our resources in German
Hungarian
See our resources in Hungarian
Reports:
- Gázzal való főzés és légszennyezés az európai otthonokban
- Vezetői összefoglaló – Gázzal való főzés és légszennyezés az európai otthonokban
Factsheets:
Press releases:
Italian
See our resources in Italian
Reports:
- Cucina a Gas e Inquinamento nelle Case Europee
- Sintesi – Cucina a Gas e Inquinamento nelle Case Europee
- Riepilogo – I punti di vista dei consumatori europei sulla cottura a gas ed elettrica – i risultati di quattro indagini nazionali
- Gli Effetti Invisibili della Cottura a Gas sulla Salute
Factsheets:
- Piani di cottura in Italia: situazione corrente e opportunità
- Scheda su Ecodesign & Etichettatura energetica
- Come migliorare la qualità dell’aria di casa vostra se usate un piano cottura o un forno a gas
- Cucinare con il gas rilascia inquinanti pericolosi nelle case europee
- Gli Effetti Invisibili delle Cucine a Gas sulla Salute
Partner resources:
Press releases:
- Case con cucine a gas: in Italia il 72% supera il valore giornaliero di biossido di azoto stabilito dall’OMS
- Studio: Cucinare con il gas supera regolarmente i limiti per l’inquinamento dell’aria
Press:
- Corriere della Sera: Biossido d’azoto e polveri sottili in cucina: livello di inquinanti più alto di quello nel traffico
- Lifegate: Conto alla rovescia per il gas in cucina? Nei Paesi Bassi, Ikea bandisce i fornelli
- Huffington Post: In Olanda Ikea dice basta al fornello a gas, venderà solo piani a induzione
Romanian
See our resources in Romanian
Reports:
- Gătitul cu gaz: Constatări ale unui studiu paneuropean de teren privind calitatea aerului din interior
- Rezumat executiv – Gătitul cu gaz: Constatări ale unui studiu paneuropean de teren privind calitatea aerului din interior
- Perspective ale consumatorilor în privința gătitului cu gaz și electric: dovezi din patru sondaje naționale din europa
- Rezumat – Perspective ale consumatorilor europeni în privința gătitului cu gaz și electric: Dovezi din patru sondaje naționale
Factsheets:
- Gătitul cu Gaz în România
- Fișă informativă privind Proiectarea ecologică și Etichetarea energetică
- Cum să îmbunătățiți calitatea aerului în casă când aveți o plită sau un cuptor cu gaz
- Gătitul cu ajutorul gazului eliberează poluanți periculoși în casele europene
- Prezentarea efectelor ascunse asupra sănătății ale gătitului cu gaz metan
Press releases:
Slovak
See our resources in Slovak
Reports:
- Plynové varenie a znečisťovanie ovzdušia v európskych domácnostiach
- Zhrnutie – Plynové varenie a znečisťovanie ovzdušia v európskych domácnostiach
- Varenie na plyne a jeho negatívny vplyv na zdravie
Factsheets:
- Varenie na plyne na Slovensku
- Prehľad o ekodizajne a energetickom označovaní
- Ako zlepšiť kvalitu ovzdušia v domácnosti, ak máte plynovú varnú dosku alebo rúru
- Pri varení na plyne sa v európskych domácnostiach uvoľňujú do ovzdušia nebezpečné znečisťujúce látky
- Varenie na plyne a jeho vplyv na zdravie
Press releases:
Spanish
See our resources in Spanish
Reports:
- Cocinas de gas y contaminación en los hogares europeos
- Resumen ejecutivo – Cocinas de gas y contaminación en los hogares europeos
- Perspectivas de los consumidores sobre las cocinas de gas y eléctricas: Datos de cuatro encuestas nacionales en Europa
- Resumen – Perspectivas de los consumidores europeos sobre las cocinas eléctricas y de gas: Cuatro encuestas nacionales
- Exposición de los efectos ocultos que tienen las cocinas de gas en la salud
Factsheets:
- Cocinar con Gas en España
- Hoja informativa sobre diseño ecológico y etiquetas energéticas
- Cómo mejorar la calidad del aire en su hogar si tiene horno o placa de gas
- La cocción con gas emite sustancias contaminantes peligrosas en los hogares europeos
- Los desconocidos efectos sobre la salud del uso de las cocinas de gas
Partner resources:
Press releases:
Press:
- El Periódico: Ikea empieza a eliminar las cocinas de gas
- El Periódico de la Energía: ¿Elegir una cocina eléctrica o de gas? Una decisión más importante de lo que parece
- Diario Público: Cocinas de gas, una elección poco saludable
Get Involved
To keep up to date with new research, follow @CLASPappliances and use the hashtag #CookCleanerEurope.
Please contact clasp.europe@clasp.ngo for more information on how to become a partner.