Two years ago, Veena Singla of San Francisco volunteered to participate in a study researching drivers' exposure to flame retardants used on car seats.
Singla drives an electric car to help the environment, but hadn't thought much about the air inside her vehicle. But according to a study published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, "vehicles are likely important sources of human exposure to potentially harmful [flame retardants]."
Those most likely to be exposed are commuters, full-time vehicle drivers and children. According to the study, children are at greater risk than adults even for equivalent commuting times.
Singla told CBS News she "never realized there could be toxic chemicals" inside her car. "It was very surprising to me."
For the study, Singla and 100 other car owners placed silicone bands in their cars for a week to measure the chemical levels inside. It was also found that the concentration of those chemicals was two to five times higher in the summer compared to the winter.
According to a recent study, higher temperatures can lead to the release of chemicals from car materials, resulting in higher concentrations. The study, conducted by researchers including Lydia Jahl, a senior scientist at the Green Science Policy Institute, found flame retardants in every car tested. Specifically, TCIPP, a chemical known to release toxic fumes when heated, was detected in 99% of the cars tested. While the study did not identify specific makes or models, an automotive group mentioned that approved flame retardants are used in vehicles to meet required flammability standards.
Although the health effects of breathing in these flame retardants are not precisely known, a chemical frequently found in the study was linked to carcinogenic activity in rats and mice in a 2023 U.S. National Toxicology Report. As a result, researchers are urging a re-evaluation of the federal flammability standard, similar to the revision made in 2021 for upholstered furniture to eliminate flame retardants.
Despite calls for a re-evaluation of the standard, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, responsible for setting these standards, did not provide a comment in response to CBS News' inquiry.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, representing over 344,000 firefighters and emergency medical workers in the U.S. and Canada, has stated that the majority of car fires are caused by engine fires or accidents rather than issues within the car's interior. However, the association has raised concerns about the chemicals present in these fires posing a risk to its members.
Pat Morrison from IAFF highlighted the dangers, stating, "You put those flame retardants in there, and the fire is going, that's what we're breathing in ... some of the most toxic air you will ever find anywhere."
As a precaution, the researchers of the study recommend rolling down car windows when entering to allow the air to circulate and washing hands after being in a car.
