New York City's proposed "char broil" rule would require restaurants to reduce emissions by 75%.

Officials in New York are considering implementing emissions restrictions on a widely used grilling device as part of their ongoing climate initiative, asserting that doing so could potentially reduce the number of premature deaths.

The Department of Environmental Protection in the blue state proposed a new rule to set emissions standards for under-fire commercial char broilers, which is a popular cooking method that adds a smoky flavor to meat.

All New York City restaurants that installed under-fire char broilers after May 2016 would be required to reduce emissions from the appliance by 75% under the proposed rule.

Char-broiling more than 875 pounds of meat per week would not be allowed for NYC restaurants, except if they have an approved emissions control device.

Officials claimed that regulations on meat cooking appliances could prevent hundreds of deaths, as per the proposed rule reviewed by Planet Chronicle Digital.

A study by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene found that premature deaths can be linked to particulate matter (PM), which are solid particles like smoke or dust released during cooking or burning fires.

The proposed rule suggests that if all char broilers were equipped with control technology, it could have prevented approximately 350 premature deaths annually due to reduced ambient PM concentrations.

In New York's five boroughs, commercial char broilers were estimated to release 1,400 tons of PM annually, which contributed to more than 12% of premature deaths from 2005 to 2007, according to a study.

But restaurant owners are fuming at the potential regulation.

Alan Rosen, owner of Juniors in NYC, a restaurant that uses charred meat, stated to the New York Post that the issue at hand is insignificant.

"People are getting knifed in the subway, yet they're concerned about charbroilers? We've been doing this for almost 75 years. It's utterly preposterous."

The department recognizes the challenge of mandating emissions tests for New York City restaurants under the proposed rule.

The proposal states that showing a 75% reduction in emissions presented a challenge for many restaurant owners who lack an Environmental Protection Agency Method 5 certified emissions control device.

A hearing on the proposed rule will take place on January 29, 2025.