Do you have Gas Stoves on your property? If so, you may have to upgrade appliances sooner than you planned. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Commissioner says the future of the products is uncertain.

Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned.”

Richard Trumka Jr – CPSC Commissioner

CPSC Commissioner, Richard Trumpka Jr, told Bloomberg News the stoves present hidden hazards, even when they are not in use. In December, twenty members of Congress rote a letter to Chairman Alexander Hoehn-Saric pushing the Consumer Product Safety Commission for quick regulation.

Hidden Hazards of Gas Stoves

The Letter specifically asks the agency to take a look at the indoor air pollution the appliances may cause, even when they are not in use. Lawmakers say the matter is urgent because 35 percent of American households use gas stoves to cook everyday. In states like New Jersey and California, the number is nearly 70 percent. The letter also says proper ventilation is critical.

Advocates also pushing for the ban point to several studies which insist the stoves emit nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter at levels deemed unsafe by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). An additional study from Stanford found methane emissions from all gas stoves in the U.S. is comparable to the yearly pollution caused by 500,000 gas-powered cars. The discussion of indoor pollution serves as a reminder carbon monoxide detectors are now required to be installed on all HUD assisted properties.

CNN reports the CPSC has not proposed any regulatory action on gas stoves at this time, and any regulatory action would “involve a lengthy process.” However, the agency will hear from the public on threats the appliances pose. The letter from lawmakers indicates the public comment period will begin this Spring.

Those against the proposed ban say gas stoves are not the issue. Instead, it is an overall issue of ventilation. Jill Notini, Vice President with the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, says “Ventilation is really where this discussion should be, rather than banning one particular type of technology.”