High Levels of Cancer-Causing Benzene in European Cooking Gas, Study Finds

Domestic gas supply in several European cities contains high levels of benzene, an odorless substance that can cause cancer, according to research released on Wednesday.

Gas samples taken in UK homes contained 37 times more benzene than North American gas, on average, while concentrations in the Netherlands were 66.5 times higher, researchers at Stanford University and independent research institute PSE Healthy Energy found. There is no safe exposure level for benzene, which is associated with leukemia and other long-term health impacts and diseases, according to the World Health Organization.