Benzene Exposure In Hot Cars and How To Minimize Risk

I just got this information in an e-mail from a friend and reader of my blog - thanks for sharing Laurie!

 

Your car's manual may say to roll down the windows to let out all the hot air before turning on the A/C. WHY ?

Car Air Conditioning

Please do NOT turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car

 

Open the windows after you enter your car, and then turn ON the AC after a couple of minutes

 

Here's why: According to research, the car's dashboard, seats, a/c ducts - in fact ALL of the plastic objects in your vehicle, emit Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin. A BIG CARCINOGEN. Take the time to observe the smell of heated plastic in your car, when you open it, and BEFORE you start it up. 

 

In addition to causing cancer, Benzene poisons your bones, causes anemia and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia and increases the risk of some cancers. It can also cause miscarriages in pregnant females

 

Acceptable Benzene level indoors is: 50mg 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 the windows closed, will inevitably inhale, in quick succession, excessive amounts of the BENZENE toxin. 

 

Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidneys and liver. What's worse, it is extremely difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff from your body.

 

So friends, please open the windows and door of your car - give it some time for the interior to air out - before you enter the vehicle.

 

Thought: 'When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.'

 

This is what snopes.com says.  It is not the air conditioning in the car but the Benzene producing agents that cause cancer. Read the whole article here.

I think this is very important to know - please keep in mind with the warm weather (hopefully!) coming up.