What are some of the potential dangers in automobiles?

Throughout the 1900s, asbestos products were common in the automotive industry. The strength and heat-resistance of asbestos made it a popular component in automotive parts. Brake pads and linings, clutch facings, heat seals, valve rings, gaskets, hood liners, insulation, packing, and numerous other auto parts contained asbestos.

When the government banned asbestos in the 1970s, most industries stopped using the substance as a manufacturing additive. However, many of the older automobiles on the road today still contain asbestos. And trace amounts exist in newer products, too.

Prolonged exposure to asbestos poses a serious health risk to modern car owners, car hobbyists, and automotive service technicians. Medical studies have linked asbestos exposure to numerous respiratory illnesses, including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is a rare and deadly form of cancer that affects the lining of many internal organs. The latency period is a long one, even decades. But once a person is diagnosed with mesothelioma, the prognosis is grim and life expectancy is short.

Of course, asbestos is not the only potential danger in automobiles. People are often intoxicated by the “new car smell” in new vehicles. But the fragrance source can be toxic. The scent actually stems from outgassing of several chemicals found in a car’s interior. Lead, bromine, chlorine, and other substances found in the plastics and parts inside a car blend to produce the pleasant scent.

The sun’s heat and ultraviolet rays increase the level and intensity of these chemicals. And prolonged exposure can adversely affect the health of drivers and passengers. Research has linked automotive interior toxins to cancer, toxic liver, learning disabilities, and birth defects. Children, whose systems are still developing, experience the greatest health risk. Adults with weak immune systems are also at risk.

Potential dangers lurk just outside a car, too. Air pollutants from automobile exhaust can enter the bloodstream and pose serious health problems. Benzene, carbon monoxide, and other chemicals found in exhaust can negatively impact health. According to numerous scientific studies, auto exhaust pathogens can cause health problems such as anemia, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease, nervous system disorders, cancer, reproductive problems, and birth defects.

The potential for dangers in automobiles depends on different factors. The additives and chemicals used in automotive parts play an important role in determining the health risks. Exposure level is also significant, as is the health condition of the one exposed to the danger. Car owners, hobbyists, and automotive service technicians can decrease their risk of danger by wearing protective gear and limiting their time around toxic substances.

Brian Turner has been working with the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance as an environmental health and toxic substance safety advocate since June of 2007. Brian brings a tremendous amount of research and awareness experience in environmental health risks, environmental carcinogens, and green building expertise. You can read more of Brian's work on the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance website.