New Study Reveals Alarming Health Risks from Flame Retardants in Car Seats – Are You at Risk?
Toxic Flame Retardants in Car Interiors: What You Need to Know
If you spend a lot of time commuting in your car or have kids riding in the backseat, you might want to pay attention to this important issue. Recent studies have found that flame retardants used in auto interior seats are polluting the air inside car cabins with highly toxic chemicals.
In fact, a staggering 99% of car-interior air samples have been found to contain flame retardants that are considered carcinogens or potential carcinogens. These chemicals have been linked to reproductive disorders, neurological problems, and even reduced IQ in children.
Drivers with longer commutes and those with child passengers are at the highest risk due to increased exposure to these harmful substances. What’s concerning is that these flame retardants were mandated in the 1970s without a full understanding of their toxicity and limited effectiveness.
Not only do these chemicals pose a threat to our health, but they also make fires in cars smokier and more toxic for both victims and first responders. A recent study of cars from 2015 or newer found high levels of potentially carcinogenic flame retardants in cabin air, raising further alarms.
Specifically, organophosphate ester flame retardants found in seats have been linked to asthma, growth issues, obesity, and even brain damage in children. Exposure to these flame retardants has also been shown to decrease children’s IQ.
As we head into the summer months, it’s worth noting that higher concentrations of flame retardants are often found in cabin air due to increased off-gassing. This means that warmer weather could potentially expose us to even higher levels of these cancer-causing chemicals.
Experts stress that the best solution to reduce health risks associated with these toxic flame retardants is to eliminate them from cars altogether. Chemicals like TCIPP, TDCIPP, and TCEP, commonly found in most cars, are considered carcinogenic and have been linked to neurological and reproductive harms.
Firefighters are particularly concerned about the impact of these flame retardants on cancer rates and are urging the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to update flammability standards to exclude these harmful chemicals.
In the meantime, researchers recommend simple steps like opening car windows, parking in shade, or garages to reduce exposure to these toxic flame retardants. However, the ultimate goal is to reduce the amount of these chemicals added to cars in the first place to safeguard our health and well-being.