Gas hobs emit more harmful chemicals linked to killer cancers than second-hand cigarette smoke, study finds

GAS hobs could be increasing your risk of cancer, a study suggests.

Stanford University researchers found the stoves raise levels of a chemical linked to several types of blood cancer.

Just one single lit burner could increase levels of the carcinogen benzene above those caused by second-hand cigarette smoke, they said.

Professor Rob Jackson told : “Benzene forms in flames and other high-temperature environments, such as the flares found in oil fields and refineries. 

“We now know that benzene also forms in the flames of gas stoves in our homes.

“Good ventilation helps reduce pollutant concentrations, but we found that exhaust fans were often ineffective at eliminating benzene exposure.”

Around 9,900 new leukaemia cases are diagnosed in the UK every year, making it the twelfth most common cancer in the country.

More than half of British households cook with gas — around 14million homes — according to estimates.

Previous research has linked gas stoves with 21 hazardous air pollutants, including benzene, which is tied to several blood cancers like leukaemia and birth defects.

They looked at levels of benzene that leak when stoves are off.

The latest study, published in , measured how much levels are increased when stoves are on.

Researchers tracked benzene emissions across 87 homes in California and Colorado.

They found gas and propane burners and ovens emitted 10 to 25 times more than electric stoves.

Benzene caused by the stoves was found to travel through the house, reaching levels above health guidelines in bedrooms hours after the cookers were turned off in some cases.

No detectable levels were found to be caused by induction stoves or the food being cooked.

Lead author Yanna Kastan said: “I’m renting an apartment that happens to have an electric stove.

“Before starting this research, I never thought about it twice.

“But the more we learn about pollution from gas stoves, the more relieved I am to be living without a gas stove.”