Unsafe Materials Are Found in Automobiles

Cars are an amazing invention that most people couldn’t live without, but some of their components give off unsafe fumes. Here are the most common places where unsafe chemicals can be found:

1. Car exhaust

Car exhaust is a cocktail of toxic substances. Benzene one of the byproducts of the engine’s internal combustion system and is released through the exhaust pipe. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services classifies benzene as a carcinogen, and it has linked the chemical to lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), myleodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and aplastic anemia. As early as 1948, the American Petroleum Institute said that the only safe level of benzene is zero.

Formaldehyde is another component of car exhaust. A 2009 report from USA Today cites an ominous study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The study concludes that people with the highest levels of formaldehyde were 37 percent more likely to die from cancers of the blood or lymphatic system than those with the lowest levels, and they were 78% more likely to die from myeloid leukemia.

One of the most dangerous chemical byproducts of internal combustion is carbon monoxide (CO). When a car is left running in a closed garage, CO fumes build up and keep oxygen from reaching the body’s tissues, including the brain. Since CO has no smell, victims may lose consciousness and die before they realize that anything is wrong.

2. Flame retardants

Flame retardants are used on plastic, electronics and cloth in a car’s interior. Many flame retardants use a toxic chemical called Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs). When laboratory animals have been exposed to PBDEs, they developed memory and learning difficulties. Older models are more likely to contain PBDEs since some states have banned the substance.

Some flame retardants also contain bromine. This substance has been linked to memory, behavioral, learning, thyroid and fertility problems.

3. The new car smell

Drivers love the new car smell so much that a car deodorizer is sold that mimics the scent. What drivers smell when they enter a new car are actually toxic chemicals called phthalates. They are used to soften vinyl and are implicated in kidney and liver damage, plus lung and reproductive problems. Fortunately, some car manufacturers have stopped using phthalates.

4. Asbestos

Many brake pads contain asbestos. Because of brake pads are essential for safety, the government has been reluctant to impose an outright ban. Some older cars also have asbestos in the clutch assembly, hood liners, drum brakes, valve rings, valve stem packing and gaskets. Asbestos exposure can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma, a cancer in the lining of the internal organs.