Gas groups challenge report’s asthma alert

The country’s leading gas organisations have questioned fresh research by Asthma Australia claiming gas cooktops pose as much risk to household occupants as second-hand smoking.

Asthma Australia chief executive Michele Goldman says while gas cooktops remain the preferred choice for Australian households the majority are unaware of the health risks.

The country’s leading gas organisations have questioned fresh research by Asthma Australia claiming gas cooktops pose as much risk to household occupants as second-hand smoking, as the health body calls on the government to support a nationwide “phase out” of gas cookers.

The report, which surveyed more than 5000 people, concluded that gas cooktops had long been associated with the development of asthma and were responsible for an estimated 12 per cent of Australia’s childhood asthma burden – a statistic “comparable to the risk of tobacco smoke exposure in the home”.

The report, Homes, Health and Asthma, recommends a “staged transition” towards electric and induction cooktops, which would include financial support for low-income households and investment by government in social housing.

Asthma Australia chief executive Michele Goldman said that while gas cooktops remained the preferred choice for Australian households – 48 per cent use gas cooktops – the majority are unaware of the health risks.

“I think there’s very low awareness about the health impacts and it’s quite confronting to think that something at the core of your life, like the kitchen, can be quite sinister and cause health impacts unbeknownst to most people,” she said. “This new report shows there’s a need to invest in public education given awareness is so low, to help people reduce health risks in their home now, and until they can transition away from gas cooktops.”

Asthma Australia chief executive Michele Goldman.

But industry leaders argue the report “dramatically overstates” the safety risks associated with gas cooktops and does not propose a feasible way forward for households.

Gas Energy Australia CEO Brett Heffernan said it was wrong to conflate the risks of gas cooktops with second-hand smoking, adding there was a substantial body of evidence that contested those findings.

“In Australia, rates of asthma do not correlate to gas use. Victoria, which has the highest rates of household gas use of 24 per cent, is ranked fifth in prevalence of asthma by state and territory. South Australia and Tasmania, which have the highest prevalence of asthma, have the lowest rates of gas use at 4.2 per cent and 0.4 per cent respectively.”

Australian Gas Association chief executive Bill Tabourlos said the survey relied on a “statistical method” and did not test gas appliances in situ.