Unseen Kitchen Pollutants Drop After Switching from Gas to Electric
Greenpeace research shows cleaner air in real homes after ditching gas stoves
20 November, Budapest — Replacing gas stoves with electric appliances can lead to a significant improvement in indoor air quality. A new study conducted by Greenpeace Research Laboratories in real homes across Croatia and Hungary shows that levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and the carcinogen benzene decreased substantially following the switch to electric stoves.
The findings show that moving away from fossil gas in kitchens can make home air cleaner and healthier. Greenpeace is calling on governments to help households—especially families with children, people with existing health conditions, and low-income residents—switch to electric cooking, and to ban gas stove installations in new residential buildings.
“We now have clear evidence that fossil gas harms not only our climate but also our health. No one should have to choose between cooking dinner and breathing safe air,” said Eszter Mátyás, Climate Campaigner at Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe Network. “It’s time for our leaders to act responsibly and help people transition to cleaner, healthier kitchens.”
Why It Matters
Indoor air pollution is increasingly recognized as a major health issue. When fossil gas—made mostly of methane, a powerful climate pollutant—is burned, it releases NO₂, CO₂, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, for which no safe exposure level exists. NO₂ can worsen respiratory problems, trigger asthma attacks, and reduce lung function—especially in children and people with existing health conditions—while benzene is classified as a known carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
How the Study Worked
The research took place in 12 homes (9 in Croatia and 3 in Hungary) that independently replaced their gas stoves with electric ones. Each home’s indoor and outdoor air quality was monitored for two-week periods before and after the switch.
The results were striking:
- Nitrogen Dioxide and Benzene levels were lower in all homes after they switched from gas to electric cooking. In some homes benzene was no longer detectable.
- After switching to electric, no household exceeded the World Health Organization’s daily NO₂ guideline, compared to three that did while using gas.
“To our knowledge, this study is the first to measure changes in both NO₂ and benzene before and after switching from gas to electric cooking in real homes,” said Aidan Farrow, Senior Scientist at Greenpeace Research Laboratories. “Our measurements charted how cutting out gas can cut exposure to harmful indoor pollutants”
The study demonstrates that getting rid of gas stoves can significantly cut harmful pollutants indoors.
Greenpeace’s Call
Greenpeace urges governments to:
- Provide subsidies for households switching from gas to electric cooking, prioritizing vulnerable groups.
- Ban gas stove installations in new residential buildings.
- Promote healthier, zero-emission homes as part of broader climate and public health policy.
For more information:
Full research paper: Unseen Emissions: Health Risks Cut by Shifting from Gas to Electric Cooking in Real Homes
A report by the Greenpeace Research Laboratories and Greenpeace CEE Croatia and Greenpeace Hungary
Executive Summary available here
Q&A
Concentrations of NO₂, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene were measured indoors and outdoors. Average indoor concentrations of NO₂, and benzene decreased significantly after switching to electric cooking.
- NO₂: Palmes diffusion tubes (Gradko International Ltd).
- VOCs: Thermal desorption tubes analyzed by thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry at Greenpeace Research Laboratories. Measurements were taken in triplicate for precision.
Yes. Tubes were also placed outdoors to account for external pollution sources. Although outdoor pollutant levels dropped between phases, the decline indoors was greater in most cases. We also used a modelling approach to understand how outdoor pollution was influencing indoor air. We are confident that removing gas stoves directly improved indoor NO2 and benzene levels.
Previous studies have measured NO₂ changes before and after switching from gas to electric. Other studies have compared different homes or tried to estimate the rate that gas stoves emit different pollutants. To Greenpeace’s knowledge, this is the first study to track both NO2 and VOCs such as benzene in real households when they switched from gas to electric cooking.
Homes were eligible if they used piped gas for cooking, planned to switch to electric within the study period, cooked frequently, did not use solid fuels, had no smokers, candles, or incense during testing, and were not near major traffic or industrial sites. All Croatian participants who completed both testing phases received a €100 inconvenience allowance. Local regulations prevented similar compensation in Hungary.
The Greenpeace Research Laboratories form the Science Unit of Greenpeace International. Based at the University of Exeter in the UK, the laboratory team provide scientific advice and analytical support to Greenpeace offices worldwide, over a range of disciplines. The laboratories are equipped with hardware for the analysis of heavy metal and organic contaminants in a range of environmental samples.