Using even just one methane gas burner or heating a gas oven to 350°F can cause in-home benzine levels higher than those caused by secondhand tobacco smoke, a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology reveals. Earlier research found benzene, long connected to leukemia and other blood cancers, also leaks from methane gas-burning appliances even when turned off, and the study adds to the mounting body of evidence of the dangers of methane gas in the home, including pollution that spreads out of the kitchen into bedrooms far from the kitchen and other parts of the house. “Good ventilation helps reduce pollutant concentrations,” said senior author and Stanford professor Rob Jackson. “But we found that exhaust fans were often ineffective at eliminating benzene exposure.” (New York Times $, NPR, The Hill)
