We turn on the stove, the flame comes to life and in a few minutes dinner is ready. A daily, almost automatic gesture, which however could hide dangers for our health. This is according to a Spanish study by the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló de la Plana, which he analyzed the impact of indoor nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution produced by gas cookers.
The results are not reassuring: around 40,000 premature deaths are estimated every year in Europe, of which over 12,000 in Italy alone.
The study “Assessment of the health impacts and costs associated with indoor nitrogen dioxide exposure related to gas cooking in the European Union and the United Kingdom”, published in the Spanish university’s repository, is the first of its kind to provide a detailed estimate of the NO2 concentrations inside European homes, correlating them to the number of premature deaths and years of life lost due to exposure to this pollutant.
The authors, six Spanish researchers, analyzed NO2 concentrations in 27 European countries plus Great Britain, finding that more than half of these nations exceeded health guidelines set by the World Health Organization.
But how is this possible?
Gas stoves, during combustion, release various pollutants into the air, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2). This gas, if inhaled in large quantities, it can irritate the respiratory tract and contribute to the onset of cardiovascular and respiratory diseasessuch as asthma and bronchitis. The reason? Compared to other gases that are very soluble in water, nitrogen dioxide manages to penetrate deeper into the lungs.
As the Fondazione Veronesi magazine explains, “nitrogen oxides are generated by high-temperature combustion processes, mainly by oxidation of nitrogen present in the atmosphere, and to a lesser extent by oxidation of nitrogen compounds present in fuels. Nitrogen dioxide is produced when fossil fuels are burned in engines of means of transport, in industrial processesin energy plantsin heating systems. It is also issued by gas equipment and is a component of the tobacco smoke.”
Italy black jersey
The data shows an alarming picture for our country, where 74% of families use gas cookers, the highest percentage in Europe. In fact, Italy ranks first in terms of the number of premature deaths linked to indoor NO2 pollution: a sobering figure, especially if we consider that the number of victims is higher than that caused by road accidents.
In addition to the 40,000 deaths per year in Europe, approximately 77,000 years of life are estimated to be lost, with an overall cost to society of approximately 14 billion euros. Of these, over 2 billion are directly linked to Italy. The costs associated with premature deaths reach 160 billion euros, with a third of this figure burdening our country.
A further aspect to consider is pediatric asthma: the study estimated around 41,000 cases in Europe, of which 6,510 in Italy. These data highlight not only the impact of gas cooking on the health of adults, but also on younger people, amplifying the need for an immediate and incisive response.
Despite the alarming data, public awareness of the risks associated with the use of gas stoves remains low. Many consumers are not informed about the dangers of indoor pollution, similar to what happened with second-hand smoke in the 1990s. The doctor Juana María Delgado-Saboritlead author of the study, said: “The scale of the problem is much worse than we thought.” This call for individual and collective responsibility is crucial in a context where fossil energy continues to be predominant in our homes.
What to do?
The results of the Spanish study highlight the need for a paradigm shift in our culinary culture. It is essential to raise awareness of the risks associated with the use of gas cookers and promote the adoption of safer and more sustainable alternatives, such as induction cookers.
The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) has already launched an appeal to European politicians to take concrete measures to phase out gas cookers, encouraging the transition to electric cookers and requiring manufacturers to label their products with relevant pollution risks.