The car can certainly be useful in your daily life, but it can be harmful for several reasons, including your health: the air you breathe inside may contain carcinogenic elements..
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It is flame retardants that pollute the air in every personal vehicle, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Automakers are reportedly adding these chemicals to seat foam and other materials to comply with an outdated flammability standard.
Their usefulness for fire safety has not yet been proven.
“Considering that the average driver spends about an hour in their car each day, this is a significant public health issue,” said Rebecca Hoehn, lead author of the study and a scientist at the Duke University in North Carolina. “This is particularly concerning for those making longer journeys and for children who breathe more air than adults.”
Of 101 vehicles examined across the United States, 99% of them contained tris phosphate, a flame retardant that is under investigation by the United States National Toxicology Program for its potentially harmful properties. carcinogenic.
This chemical compound and others like it have also been linked to neurological and reproductive damage.
With the summer season approaching, researchers also concluded that warmer temperatures were associated with higher concentrations of flame retardants. Gas emissions from interior components, such as seat foam, increase during hot weather.
