There's been a lot of attention to the fact that when you turn on your gas stove, it emits pollution that can affect the health of people in your home. But gas cooking stove manufacturers have long known how to make burners that are much more efficient and cleaner. Problem is, stoves with those burners were never offered for sale. That may be about to change. Jeff Brady from NPR's climate desk joins us. Jeff, thanks very much for being with us.

JEFF BRADY, BYLINE: Well, thank you for having me.

SIMON: And why did manufacturers develop these cleaner gas burners?

BRADY: You know, it all started more than 40 years ago. Federal regulators were considering a ban on kerosene space heaters because they put out a lot of air pollution into a room. And gas cooking stove makers and gas utilities saw that, and they worried the government might come for them next. So they developed this thing called an infrared burner. It uses 40% less gas and emits 40% less nitrogen dioxide. Now, NO2 is the pollutant that public health experts worry about most when it comes to cooking with gas. Research shows a connection between having a gas stove and childhood asthma, as well as other health problems. If you reduce the pollutants from the burners, that likely would also reduce the risk of illness.

SIMON: Other than the efficiency, what's different about these burners?

BRADY: Well, instead of that familiar blue flame, these infrared gas burners, they look more like a traditional, electric burner. They glow red and you can hardly even see that there's a flame there. I showed this design to Brady Seals at the environmental group RMI. And she said the fact that manufacturers and utilities developed a partial solution for the pollution issue and didn't sell the burners just underscores the need for regulation.

BRADY SEALS: You know, the time is long overdue for mandatory performance standards for gas stoves so that we can make sure that they're meeting a health-protective levels of pollutants inside our homes.

BRADY: Appliance manufacturers say they're working on voluntary standards to limit nitrogen dioxide from gas stoves now.

SIMON: Jeff, do manufacturers say why they don't offer these cleaner burners?

BRADY: You know, one reason is that iconic blue flame. It goes away with these infrared burners. And that's a big part of their marketing. A lot of gas utilities feature that blue flame in their logo. Also, these burners are more expensive. They can be harder to clean. Most importantly, though, consumers just haven't demanded a cleaner burner. But that may be changing now that gas stoves are in the news again. I talked with Frank Johnson. He's at GTI Energy. That's a gas industry research organization. And he says they're working on new burner improvements now.

FRANK JOHNSON: The design of cooking equipment has not changed a lot over time, but it's starting to change now. And it's just going to take time for those to become available.

BRADY: And for gas utilities, the stove is key. It doesn't consume a lot of gas, but it's considered a gateway appliance. People like cooking with gas. And if they already have a gas stove in their house, it's more likely that they'll also burn gas in their furnace, water heater and clothes dryer.

SIMON: Let me ask you to go back to the regulation issue because the current debate began in January. Member of the Consumer Product Safety Commission talked about banning gas stoves. As we are here now today, does that seem likely?

BRADY: It does not seem likely to me, but the commission is starting, on March 1, to look at the available science about health and safety risks. Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr., the one who mentioned banning gas stoves, said in December that regulations could come fairly quickly.

RICHARD TRUMKA JR: Now, this public request for information is the first step in what could be a long journey towards regulating gas stoves. But I'm here to tell you that with enough public pressure, it doesn't have to be. We could get a regulation on the books before this time next year.

BRADY: Everyone I talked with says that's pretty optimistic. But it would be a boost for climate change advocates who want more Americans to switch from gas to electricity in their homes so that the country can reach its climate change goals. We should know more about how fast that process is going to happen later this year. And also this week, we learned the Department of Energy is jumping into the gas stove issue. The agency is developing energy efficiency standards that are quite a bit more stringent. Most stoves sold now wouldn't meet the standard. If those regulations take effect, it wouldn't happen until 2027.

SIMON: Jeff Brady from NPR's Climate Desk, thanks so much.

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