(TheConservativeTimes.org) – Flame retardants that have been used in vehicle seats have been discovered to be a huge risk to health as it’s made with highly toxic chemicals. This could put those who spend lots of time in vehicles at risk.
According to the report, ninety-nine percent of car interior samples contained at least one flame retardant that the government considers a carcinogen or a potential carcinogen. Many of these flame retardants are also linked to reproductive disorders, neurological problems, and reduced IQ in children.
The lead author Rebecca Hoehn, a Duke University researcher, said, “Considering the average driver spends about an hour in the car every day, this is a significant public health issue. It’s particularly concerning for drivers with longer commutes and child passengers, who breathe more air pound for pound than adults.”
Flame retardants are used in seat foam to meet regulations for the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which requires automakers to include these retardants to prevent the ignition and spreading of fires.
At the time this was implemented, there wasn’t much research done into the effects of being around these chemicals, and now it’s said that they do much less to prevent fires. Experts have said that it can actually make fires more smokey and more toxic for victims.
The study checked over one hundred cars from the year 2015 and all air samples came back with 1-chloro-isopropyl phosphate. Most also contained organophosphate ester flame retardants, which are said to cause early growth, asthma, adiposity, and even brain damage in children. They also found that the average US child has lost three to five IQ points due to exposure to these chemicals.
With this, they also found that seats in the summer give off more chemicals due to the heat; experts have said rolling down windows and keeping the car cool could help, but the best solution is removing them altogether.
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