Benzene, a harmful chemical found in gasoline, cigarette smoke and paint strippers, is a known carcinogen. Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene has been linked to leukemia and other blood-related cancers.
Now, a new study out of Stanford University reports that benzene-caused cancer risks are significantly higher — especially for children — in homes with medium to high usage of gas stoves and inadequate ventilation.
“Natural gas and propane stoves emit benzene, a known carcinogen through combustion,” the researchers explained in the forthcoming July issue of the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
“To our knowledge, ours is the first study to assess the carcinogenic health risks from benzene formed during gas combustion from stoves, as well as leukemia cases attributable to gas stove use.”
Gas stoves have come under fire in recent years as studies suggested they emit pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, benzene and formaldehyde, which can trigger asthma and potentially increase the risk of heart disease and other health problems.
The stoves have fueled heated debate about health and environmental concerns and government overreach with limitations or bans.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January that “safeguards the American people’s freedom to choose from a variety of goods and appliances,” including gas stoves.
The order followed a watered-down rule from the Biden administration requiring some gas and electric stoves to be more efficient.
Other restrictions have had more teeth. In 2023, New York became the first state to ban the installation of new gas stoves in most new homes and buildings. It’s set to take effect in 2026 for buildings under seven stories and in 2029 for larger structures.
NYC also has a ban on natural gas in new buildings — the ordinance was upheld in federal court in March.
Meanwhile, research on the potential effects of gas stoves continues. About 38% of American households, or roughly 40 million homes, have these appliances.
Stanford scientists say that 6.3 million Americans are exposed to the top 5 % highest benzene-emitting gas stoves.
They measured emissions in 87 homes across 14 counties in Colorado and California for a 2023 study.
For this new study, they simulated different cooking scenarios involving varying burner intensities and oven temperatures with minimal or no ventilation.
When there’s no ventilation, benzene exposure in kitchens and living rooms is highest in smaller apartments, followed by manufactured homes, attached homes and detached homes, the researchers found.
“Particularly concerning were the elevated risks in bedrooms, where people typically spend the most time,” they wrote.
Their analysis also suggested that children’s cancer risk from gas stove exposure is 1.85 times higher than adults.
The researchers noted that children generally breathe faster and take in more air — and therefore more pollutants — relative to their smaller body size.
“Since there is no safe limit for benzene’s carcinogenic effects, it is crucial to further evaluate the health risks associated with these effects,” the study read.
Ventilation plays a key role in reducing benzene concentrations — the researchers recommend opening windows and using good-quality outdoor vent hoods. Homeowners could also switch to electric stoves.
“The study underscores the importance of addressing combustion-related indoor air pollutants to protect public health, particularly in households with limited ventilation,” the study authors wrote.
It’s a bunch of bullshit, with “tests” conducted in airless, unventilated cubicles, and with the usual failure to mention what, exactly a “1.85 X higher risk of cancer means in actual numbers, so I asked GROK. Bottom line: you can keep your stove, if the Greens will let you.
Q: “a new study "suggests: that children’s cancer risk from gas stove exposure is 1.85 times higher than adults. That's pretty useless information without knowing what the actual risk is that's being increased; can you give some numbers in layman's terms?”
Grok:
The study you’re referring to, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials in 2025, evaluates benzene exposure from gas stoves and its associated cancer risks, particularly for children. The 1.85 times higher risk for children compared to adults sounds alarming, but without context on the baseline risk, it’s hard to gauge its real-world impact. Let’s break it down with the available data, explained in plain terms.
What the Study Says
The study focuses on the top 5% of benzene-emitting gas stoves in the U.S., affecting about 6.3 million people. Benzene is a known carcinogen linked to leukemia and other blood cancers. The researchers used a model to estimate how much benzene people are exposed to in homes with these high-emitting stoves, especially under medium to high usage (e.g., cooking with one burner for 30 minutes twice a day for medium use, or multiple burners and the oven for high use) and poor ventilation.
The key finding is that children’s Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) from benzene exposure is 1.85 times higher than adults’ in these scenarios. This is because children breathe more air relative to their body size, spend more time indoors, and have developing bodies that may be more vulnerable to carcinogens.
Actual Risk Numbers
The study provides some specific estimates, though they’re framed in technical terms. Here’s what we can extract in layman’s terms:
Cancer Risk Threshold: The World Health Organization (WHO) sets a “safe” cancer risk threshold at 1 in 1,000,000 (or 1E-06, meaning 1 additional cancer case per 1 million people exposed over a lifetime). Risks above this are considered elevated.
Children’s Risk: In homes with high gas stove use and poor ventilation (e.g., no range hood or open windows), the study estimates that for every 1 million children, up to 16 additional cancer cases could occur due to benzene exposure over their lifetime. This is specifically for kids in non-ventilated apartments with the worst 5% of benzene-emitting stoves.
Adults’ Risk: Since children’s risk is 1.85 times higher, we can estimate adults’ risk by dividing. For adults, the risk is roughly 8-9 additional cancer cases per 1 million in the same high-exposure scenario (16 ÷ 1.85 ≈ 8.65).
Range of Risk: Across different home types (apartments, detached homes, etc.) and usage scenarios, the risk for children in non-ventilated homes with medium to high stove use is 4 to 16 times higher than the WHO’s safe threshold. So, the cancer risk could range from 4 to 16 cases per million children compared to the “safe” 1 case per million. For adults, this would be roughly 2 to 9 cases per million.
Putting It in Perspective
Baseline Risk: Without gas stove exposure, your lifetime risk of developing leukemia (the main cancer linked to benzene) is about 1 in 200 (or 5,000 per million) for the general population, based on American Cancer Society data. The additional risk from gas stoves in these worst-case scenarios (4-16 per million for kids, 2-9 for adults) is a tiny fraction of that—adding less than 0.01% to your overall leukemia risk.
Worst-Case Scenario: The 16-per-million risk for kids applies to:
Homes with the top 5% most polluting gas stoves.
High usage (e.g., cooking with multiple burners and the oven for hours daily).
No ventilation (no range hood, no open windows).
Small homes or apartments where benzene concentrates more.
Typical Homes: In homes with low to medium stove use or good ventilation (e.g., using a high-efficiency range hood or opening windows), the risk drops significantly, often below the WHO’s 1-per-million threshold. For example, high-efficiency hoods can reduce benzene exposure by 75% or more, and open windows can cut it by up to 99%.
Limitations and Caveats
Modeling, Not Real Cases: The study uses a computer model (CONTAM) to estimate benzene exposure, not actual measurements in thousands of homes. Real-world risks could vary.
Not All Stoves: The findings apply to the worst 5% of gas stoves, not every gas stove. Most stoves emit less benzene, and risks are lower with proper ventilation.
Estimates, Not Certainties: The 16-per-million figure is an estimate, not a count of actual cancer cases. It’s based on assumptions about lifetime exposure and benzene’s potency.
Other Sources of Benzene: Benzene is also in cigarette smoke, gasoline, and industrial emissions. Gas stoves are just one contributor, and their impact is small compared to, say, smoking or working in a refinery.
Bottom Line
In the worst-case scenario (high stove use, no ventilation, top 5% benzene-emitting stoves), gas stoves might increase a child’s lifetime cancer risk by about 16 cases per million (0.0016%) and an adult’s by 8-9 cases per million (0.0008-0.0009%). This is a small addition to the baseline leukemia risk of 5,000 per million. For most homes with moderate stove use and good ventilation, the risk is much lower, often negligible. Ventilation and reducing stove use are easy ways to minimize exposure.
