Boston University researchers are partnering with the City of Boston to replace gas stoves with electric induction alternatives and determine the impact on air quality.
The Brink (Boston University) reports on a new collaboration between BU, the City of Boston, Boston Housing Authority, and Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation to study indoor air quality before and after replacement to measure actual harm. Reporter Bailey Scott writes:
“The stove replacements, which are taking place in two housing developments in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, come at zero cost to residents, who will also be provided with a free set of induction-compatible cookware, chef-led cooking demonstrations, and financial compensation for participating in the study. BU researchers are providing expert support and data analysis for the study, installing a device in each home that will measure air quality before and after the switch to induction stoves.
The BU team [according to BU researcher Jonathan Levy] will help the city assess the financial costs and health benefits of switching stoves to potentially help inform Boston’s broader policy actions. A BU School of Public Health professor and chair of environmental health, who has been working on the project from its outset, he hopes the electric stoves ‘can reduce health risks and help the city to meet its climate goals, while also maintaining or enhancing the cooking experience.‘
Levy has led a number of studies on indoor air pollution, including some that identified cooking as one of the key drivers of particulate matter in homes. He says that while there’s much to learn from the latest project, the effects of gas stoves, especially in poorly ventilated homes, are well known from previous research, including Levy’s own work tying them to higher nitrogen dioxide exposure.
‘We know that we’re targeting something that ought to provide health benefits and we want to document it and then understand what the magnitude [of health benefits] looks like,‘ says Levy.
When initial federal funding for the project was terminated last year, leaving the effort’s future in doubt, the city of Boston decided to step in and save it.
The project is slated to finish in 2027.”