A recent study has suggested there are alarming health risks posed by cancer-causing flame retardants used in car seats.
Notably, flame retardants are chemicals added to seat materials to reduce flammability and the spread of fire.
Alarmingly, certain flame retardants found in car seats have been associated with a reduction in IQ points among children.
Watch | China launches lunar probe to study dark side of moon × The study also noted a correlation between higher levels of flame retardants in car seats during warmer months.
While measures such as parking in shaded areas or rolling down windows may mitigate exposure, the researchers advocate for the elimination of flame retardants to address the root cause.
A recent study has suggested there are alarming health risks posed by cancer-causing flame retardants used in car seats. Notably, flame retardants are chemicals added to seat materials to reduce flammability and the spread of fire. The findings are as per a recent peer-reviewed research conducted in the United States, media reports said.
Flame retardants, which work by interfering with the combustion process and interrupting the chemical reactions, were initially introduced into car seat foam to comply with safety regulations set forth by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the 1970s.
The study, led by Rebecca Hoehn, a researcher from Duke University, found that these chemicals, present in car cabin air, significantly endanger the health of individuals spending prolonged periods in vehicles.
The study, which examined air samples from 101 cars manufactured in 2015 or later, revealed that nearly 99 per cent of samples contained flame retardants deemed carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic by government standards. Among these chemicals, 1-chloro-isopropyl phosphate, identified as a potential carcinogen by the US National Toxicology Program, was prevalent in virtually all samples.
Moreover, the study highlighted the presence of organophosphate ester flame retardants, which have been linked to various health issues in children, including impaired growth, asthma, neurological damage, and obesity. Alarmingly, certain flame retardants found in car seats have been associated with a reduction in IQ points among children.
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Hoehn stressed on the importance of the findings saying, “Considering the average driver spends about an hour in the car every day, this is a significant public health issue.” She expressed particular concern for individuals with extended commutes and child passengers, as children take more breathes than adults in a minute.
Watch | China launches lunar probe to study dark side of moon × The study also noted a correlation between higher levels of flame retardants in car seats during warmer months.
How effective are these chemicals?
Patrick Morrison, director of the International Association of Fire Fighters’ safety division, highlighted the ineffectiveness of these chemicals saying they do “little to prevent fires for most uses and instead make the blazes smokier and more toxic for victims, and especially for first responders."
While measures such as parking in shaded areas or rolling down windows may mitigate exposure, the researchers advocate for the elimination of flame retardants to address the root cause.
(With inputs from agencies)
