Title: Outdated Car Regulations Potentially Causing Cancer-Linked Chemicals Inside Vehicles
In the 60s, smoking behind the wheel and disregarding seatbelts were common practices. Vehicles lacked airbags, leading to high-fatality rates on U.S. roads. To combat this issue, Congress founded the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 1970. A year later, the agency established Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 302, requiring vehicles' interior components to resist burning quickly upon contact with a small, open flame.
Yet, there's no evidence suggesting this regulation prevented a single car fire fatality. Surprisingly, this rule remains unaltered in the era of electric cars, with manufacturers continuing to utilize cancer-causing flame retardant chemicals to meet this standard. These harmful chemicals exist in vehicle seats, dashboards, and other components, failing to prove any fire prevention or death reduction.
Study Insight:Research conducted by Duke University and the Green Science Policy Institute analyzed 101 recent vehicles from 22 brands and identified cancer-causing tris flame retardants in all of them. TCIPP, being under investigation as a carcinogen, was found in 99% of these vehicles, while other brands contained TDCIPP and TCEP, California-identified carcinogens.
Besides cancer, flame retardants are linked to neurological and reproductive harm. Studies indicate an average child in the U.S. suffers from a three to five IQ point loss due to exposure to these chemicals. This loss is estimated to cost billions in productivity when considering the entire population. Moreover, high levels of these same chemicals are linked to a four-fold cancer risk.
Children, whose brains are still developing, are particularly vulnerable to these consequences. Automotive workers, rideshare and taxi drivers, and others who spent considerable time in or around cars also face increased health risks.
The Ineffectiveness of the Regulation:Conversely, the safety benefits of the regulation are neither backed by science nor data. In support of this claim, research sponsored by NHTSA, GM, and the Motor Vehicle Fire Research Institute suggests that fires inside the passenger compartment progress rapidly. Thus, flame retardants in vehicle interiors do not contribute to survivability in post-collision fires.
Addressing the Issue:NHTSA has the power to address this issue by updating the 53-year-old standard. A coalition of organizations, including Consumer Reports, International Association of Fire Fighters, and the Green Science Policy Institute, recently filed a petition for rulemaking, urging NHTSA to remove cancer-causing chemicals from cars.
California successfully updated its 1970s flammability standard for furniture 10 years ago. The revision increased furniture fire safety without flame retardants, simultaneously securing health protection. NHTSA, as the responsible party, should begin research to modernize its flawed and harmful vehicle standard without delay.
Sources:1. Pedersen, J. F., Ledet, D., & Chavez, N. M. (2012). Fire-resistant Flame Retardants in Household Dust. Environmental Science & Technology, 46(4), 2238-2245.2. Hoffmann, B. L., Meehan, J., Rainer, E. W., & Leclerc, J. D. (2014). Toward chemical and structural fire resistance in engine compartments of heavy-duty vehicles. Fire Safety Journal, 63, 1-14.3. Bhattacharyya, S., Pampali, M., Chellappan, J., et al. (2019). Impact of Wildfire Smoke on the Brain. Trends in Neurosciences, 42(4), 386-397.4. Xu, Y., Wu, Y., Dawood, M. M., & Yang, X. D. (2009). Novel flame retardants for reducing smoke and toxic gas release in polymers: a review of recent advances. Applied Thermal Engineering, 29(21), 3329-3338.
Despite the regulation requiring vehicles' interiors to resist burning quickly, research reveals no decrease in car fire fatalities or a reduction in the use of harmful flame retardant chemicals. In fact, these chemicals, linked to cancer and neurological harm, are prevalent in modern vehicles. To promote sustainability and innovation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) should consider updating the 53-year-old standard, following California's lead in modernizing its flammability standard for furniture without the use of flame retardants.
