California Governor Rejects Bill for Gas Stove Health Warning Labels

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California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill late Friday night that would have required manufacturers to include health warning labels on gas-burning stoves, citing concerns over the bill’s rigidity and potential for creating misinformation. The proposed legislation, championed by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz), aimed to inform consumers of the potential health risks associated with pollutants emitted by gas stoves, including nitrogen dioxide and benzene, which have been linked to respiratory issues such as childhood asthma.

Had the bill been signed into law, California would have become the first state to mandate such labels on gas stoves. The labels would have alerted consumers that "gas stoves can release nitrogen dioxide, benzene, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and other harmful pollutants into the air, which can be toxic to people and pets." They would also have included warnings that “young children, people with asthma, and people with heart or lung disease are especially vulnerable” to these pollutants.

Governor Newsom expressed his reservations about the bill in his veto message, calling it “highly prescriptive” and difficult to update with new scientific findings. “This static approach falls short in enabling timely updates to the labeling content that should align with the latest scientific knowledge so that consumers are accurately informed about their purchases,” he explained.

The decision has disappointed public health and consumer advocacy groups, who argue that the labels would have raised awareness about the dangers of gas stove emissions. “We are disappointed that Governor Newsom vetoed legislation to give consumers more information about the health risks of gas stoves,” said Jenn Engstrom, state director of U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s California chapter. Engstrom pointed out that most people are unaware of the risks associated with gas stove emissions, which increase the likelihood of respiratory problems such as asthma.

The bill faced strong opposition from the appliance manufacturing industry. Jill Notini, a spokeswoman for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, argued that the proposed labels were misleading. “The label would have been inaccurate and misleading because it incorrectly represents that only cooking with gas benefits from ventilation to preserve indoor air quality,” Notini said. She emphasized that all forms of cooking, whether gas or electric, generate indoor air pollution and benefit from proper ventilation.

While the veto is a setback for those advocating a transition to all-electric home appliances to reduce indoor air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, it also highlights the ongoing debate over the health impacts of gas stoves. Research from institutions like Stanford University has shown that typical gas stove use can lead to nitrogen dioxide levels exceeding those deemed safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization. Researchers estimated that approximately 50,000 current cases of childhood asthma could be attributed to nitrogen dioxide emissions from gas stoves.

The controversy over gas stove regulations is not confined to California. Similar legislation has been proposed in other states, including New York and Illinois. Although those bills have not yet passed, advocates like U.S. PIRG’s energy and utilities director Abe Scarr are hopeful that they will be revisited in future legislative sessions.

The debate is likely to continue as both health advocates and the gas appliance industry push for their respective viewpoints. While supporters of the bill argue that consumers have a right to be informed about potential health risks, opponents maintain that the proposed measures unfairly target gas stoves and overlook the benefits of ventilation for all types of cooking.