Islander
06-01-11, 10:36 AM
The story below has been making the e-mail rounds and showed up in my Facebook news feed, so I decided to investigate. It was hard to find verification (the same story shows up all over the 'Net) but the information following the letter seems sound and practical.
Please do NOT turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car.
Open the windows after you enter your car and turn ON the air-conditioning after a couple of minutes. Here's why:
According to a research, the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener emit Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen - take time to observe the smell of heated plastic in your car). In addition to causing cancer, Benzene poisons your bones, causes anemia and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer. May also cause miscarriage.
Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft. A car parked indoors with windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level.... People who get into the car, keeping windows closed, will inevitably inhale, in quick succession, excessive amounts of the toxin.
Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver. What's worse, it is extremely difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff. So friends, please open the windows and door of your car - give time for interior to air out - dispel the deadly stuff - before you enter.
Analysis: Starting with the basics, it's true that benzene is a toxic chemical known to produce a variety of ill health effects, including anemia and cancer (specifically leukemia) in humans. The substance occurs both naturally (mainly as a component of crude oil) and as a byproduct of human activities, e.g. as a component of petroleum-based products (such as gasoline) and products manufactured using benzene as a solvent (such as plastics, synthetic fibers, dyes, glues, detergents, and drugs). It's also a constituent of tobacco smoke.
.....
When in doubt, ventilate
Despite this finding, some drivers may still be concerned about the presence of any benzene vapors inside their car, especially given the World Health Organization's stated position that there is "no safe level of exposure" to the carcinogen. They may also worry, per the email warning above, that turning on the vehicle's air conditioner might exacerbate their exposure to trapped toxins by recirculating contaminated air. If that's the case, there's no harm done — and much peace of mind to be gained — by simply opening the windows and ventilating the car before turning it on.
Read the entire article: http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/automobiles/a/benzene_in_car.htm
Please do NOT turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car.
Open the windows after you enter your car and turn ON the air-conditioning after a couple of minutes. Here's why:
According to a research, the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener emit Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen - take time to observe the smell of heated plastic in your car). In addition to causing cancer, Benzene poisons your bones, causes anemia and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer. May also cause miscarriage.
Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft. A car parked indoors with windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level.... People who get into the car, keeping windows closed, will inevitably inhale, in quick succession, excessive amounts of the toxin.
Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver. What's worse, it is extremely difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff. So friends, please open the windows and door of your car - give time for interior to air out - dispel the deadly stuff - before you enter.
Analysis: Starting with the basics, it's true that benzene is a toxic chemical known to produce a variety of ill health effects, including anemia and cancer (specifically leukemia) in humans. The substance occurs both naturally (mainly as a component of crude oil) and as a byproduct of human activities, e.g. as a component of petroleum-based products (such as gasoline) and products manufactured using benzene as a solvent (such as plastics, synthetic fibers, dyes, glues, detergents, and drugs). It's also a constituent of tobacco smoke.
.....
When in doubt, ventilate
Despite this finding, some drivers may still be concerned about the presence of any benzene vapors inside their car, especially given the World Health Organization's stated position that there is "no safe level of exposure" to the carcinogen. They may also worry, per the email warning above, that turning on the vehicle's air conditioner might exacerbate their exposure to trapped toxins by recirculating contaminated air. If that's the case, there's no harm done — and much peace of mind to be gained — by simply opening the windows and ventilating the car before turning it on.
Read the entire article: http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/automobiles/a/benzene_in_car.htm