Why it is not advisable to turn on the A/C ( Air condition) as soon as you enter your car. Is it a hoax or a fact? People are sharing this on the social media ;
“You should open the windows after you enter your car and then after a couple of minutes, turn ON the AC “.
The social media said ; According to research, the car’s dashboard, seats, a/c
ducts, in fact most 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. Especially in the summer heat. Try to pen the door for few seconds. Or if you dont have time open the windows while you driving for few minutes.
In addition to causing cancer, Benzene poisons your bones, causes
anemia and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure can cause
Leukemia and increases the risk of some cancers. It can also cause
miscarriages in pregnant women. When you fill your gasoline tank try to keep your nose away from the gasoline pump. The pump will click when the car is full so you dont have to worry about over flow and spill. The “acceptable” Benzene level indoors is: 50 mg per sq.ft.
Remember this fact ; A car parked indoors, with windows closed, will contain 400-800 mg of
Benzene – 8 times the acceptable level.
If parked outdoors in 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
eventually inhale excessive amounts of the BENZENE toxin. and I always winder why they smoke in the car with windows closed, and why they keep the children and pets in the car under the sunlight of summer heat with only one inch of the window open !
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.
So friends, please open the windows and doors of your car – give it
some time for the interior to air out .
A German study published in 2007 specifically researching the air inside parked cars did not find a hazard to human health. Their analysis detected some cancer-causing chemicals and others that are considered probable or possible carcinogens, but these chemicals were present at levels similar to those found in the air of buildings. Some chemicals that are similar to benzene were found, but benzene was not reported in the results of this study.
Another blow against this claim comes from the German study previously mentioned. It measured the level of a whole group of chemicals in a new car and an older car “parked in sunshine.” Levels were higher in the new car than the old one, but still 1/10 of the level claimed in the message for benzene alone (and, benzene was not even among the more than 40 chemicals recognized in the study).
Several other studies — from Germany, South Korea, and the United States — have looked at benzene levels in moving cars. These levels have ranged from 0.013 to 0.560 mg per cubic meter. The high range of these reports exceeds the NIOSH chronic exposure limit, though in the US study, the highest level (0.045 mg per cubic meter) was found in a car the researchers described as malfunctioning.
There is no published studies that confirm the claims of this e-mail. Benzene levels that exceed recommendations for chronic workplace exposure have been observed in some moving cars, but these levels seem unlikely in properly maintained cars.
And there are other steps people can take to reduce the amount of benzene to which they’re exposed:
- Stay away from cigarette smoke. If you are a smoker, try to quit. Cigarette smoke is a major source of benzene exposure.
- If you are exposed on the job, talk to your employer about process changes (such as replacing the benzene with another solvent or making sure the benzene source is properly enclosed) or by using personal protective equipment. If needed, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) can provide more information or make an inspection.
- Try to limit gasoline fumes by pumping gas carefully and choosing gas stations with vapor recovery systems that capture the fumes. Avoid skin contact with gasoline, which contains benzene.
- Finally, use common sense around any chemicals that might contain benzene, like solvents, paints, and art supplies. Minimize or avoid exposure to their fumes, especially in unventilated spaces.
Thank you for reading
Steve Ramsey, PhD – Public Health.
Calgary, Alberta – Canada.