Gas stove manufacturers push back on talk of a ban

Appliance manufacturers hit back after a US government official suggested the feds are considering a ban on gas stoves over alleged safety hazards.

The Association for Home Appliance Manufacturers said there are “simple steps” consumers can take while they are cooking, such as opening a window, turning on a ceiling fan or using a range hood to mitigate any harmful emissions.

The trade group, whose members include big US manufacturers like Whirlpool and General Electric as well as overseas companies like Samsung and LG, also notes that gas stoves are more budget-friendly.

“For people who prefer gas, which is more affordable, the association wants to preserve consumer choice,” AHAM spokesperson Jill Notini told The Post.

Gas stoves are “a hidden hazard,” the commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Richard Trumka Jr., told Bloomberg on Monday. “Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned.”

Trumka dialed back his comments on Tuesday, suggesting that any new regulation would apply only to new appliances.

Studies have shown that gas stoves, which are used in 40% of US homes, emit pollutants including nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and particles at levels that are deemed unsafe by the Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization.

The issue has been studied for more than a decade and last year the CPSC formed a task force to make recommendations. The trade group, which is participating in the task force, said it’s too early in the process to talk about bans.

“It’s concerning that [the commissioner] made a statement that an entire category of products could be banned when they haven’t begun the formal process of data collection,” Notini said, calling the commissioner’s remark “presumptuous” and “off the cuff.” 

AHAM expects any recommendations that will result from the task force to take at least a year. The first step in the process before making recommendations is to issue so-called “Request for Information” proposals, Notini said.

“That hasn’t happened yet,” she said.

At the same time, the appliance industry makes alternatives to gas stoves, including induction appliances, which rely on magnetic forces to heat pots and pans.