The California Assembly has passed a bill requiring new gas stoves to include labels warning about pollutants linked to respiratory illnesses. This proposal, which now moves to the state Senate, mandates labeling for gas stoves and ranges made or sold online post-2024, and for those sold in-store starting 2025. Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, a Democrat, emphasized the importance of informing consumers about health risks like nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and benzene emissions from gas stoves, which are associated with increased risks of leukemia and asthma, particularly in children.
The label would also highlight that proper ventilation can reduce these risks. This legislation comes amid wider debates on gas stoves due to their environmental and health impacts, paralleled by similar legal actions in other states, like New York’s ban on natural gas stoves in new buildings starting 2026. Opponents of California’s legislation argue that the state should focus on enhancing building ventilation rather than targeting stove labeling.
The bill is part of broader discussions about the safety of gas stoves, which are used by about 40% of U.S households. California has previously enacted laws in the 1980s requiring warnings on products that expose consumers to significant chemical risks.