Car Air Conditioning causes cancer?

[05ChevyI5]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Still R134a is more leak prone all things being equal, and the leaks can be harder to detect, the oil it uses, typically PAG, absorbs moisture, and it is more toxic than R12. R12 just flat worked better. The only reason for switching to R134a was for eviro and ozone depletion concerns. I don't know that it actually depletes ozone has been proven. I kind of look at it like global warming, that was shown to be based on even fabricated numbers.

I agree. I kind of miss the good old R12!

 

[mechtech2]

Mfrs like Ford use foams and plastics made from soybeans and who knows what else.
They are progressive for costs and safety.
Poisons are not a foreign thought to them.

 

[willix]

The days of Vinyl.

 

[Kestas]

This news may be 30 years old. Back then, the prolific use of plastics and vinyls was coming into vogue, at the same time that emissions were being heavily controlled. The EPA recognized the fact that new car interiors were giving off lots of harmful emissions, so one of their tests included putting the car in a bag and testing for total emissions, including the interior. I wouldn't be surprised if they still do that.

Thankfully I only drive old cars where the interiors have already outgassed most of their volatiles.

 

[ron917]

Originally Posted By: Deltona_Dave
I would not go so far as to say R-12 was safer than R-134a. Both are harmful if inhaled. R-12 would be nastier in your lungs, as it was chlorine based. When chlorine gets into your lungs, it combines with the moisture and becomes hydrochloric acid. Then your lungs become mush.



Until very recently, metered dose inhalers for asthma, COPD, and other medical conditions used chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellents including Dichlorodifluoromethane (a.k.a R-12). R-12 is proven safe for inhalation.

CFC propellants are now banned even for medical use due to potential damage to the ozone layer.

Current inhalers use hydrofluoroalkanes (HFAs) for propellent. From personal experience, they do not work as well. They clog up easily so they may not deliver the correct dose. And it's pretty much impossible to tell when they are almost empty. And it seems like more of the medication sticks to the inside of my mouth rather than making it into my lungs where it's needed.

 

[mechanicx]

Yeah that is my understanding that R12 is basically harmless. You can't say the same for R134a. Well R12 is claimed to deplete the ozone. But even so, if they were going to mandate R134a because it was possibly ozone layer friendlier, then I don't think they needed all the other steps like banning R12 production completely, a recycling station, reducing A/C capacity to an odd weight charge requiring a weight scale etc. And as far as for medical purposes like you mentioned, banning R12 seems a little extreme.

 

[JHZR2]

phthalates show up very easily in water analysis when a sample is taken. Any EPA certified lab can easily see phthalates in your water which sat in a plastic bottle.

The vapor pressure may not let much volatilize, but in direct sun, at 150+F surface temperature, if nothing else, Ill bet there is UV-induced degradation. Even with additives in to slow this. Don't doubt it comes into the air, and even at very low concentrations, it is doing something... That something along with all the other little somethings add up to something bigger.

 

[ffhdriver]

One thing I've observed, in 10 months of ownership I haven't had to clean an off gassing film off the inside of my Fusion's windows. Had to clean my VW Eos about every two months. Both with leather seats and the usual plastic parts.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: bodeh6
I received this thru chain mail by a friend. Wondering if there is any truth to it.

Quote:
Maybe this is the reason so many have been getting cancer now. We all ride in cars!!!

Car A/C (Air Conditioning) MUST READ!!!
No wonder folks are dying from cancer more than ever before. We wonder where this stuff comes from but here is an example that may explain some of the cancer causing incidents. Please pass this on to as many people as possible. Guess it's never too late to make some changes!! Do NOT turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car.

After you enter your car, OPEN the windows and WAIT a couple of minutes BEFORE turning on your air-conditioning!!

HERE’S WHY:
According to research, the car dashboard emits Benzene, a cancer causing toxin, into the air of your car. Have you ever noticed the smell of heated plastic in your car?
In addition, Benzene poisons your bones, causes anemia and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure could cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer. It may also cause miscarriage. Benzene is a toxin that also affects your kidneys and liver. What's worse, it is extremely difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.
Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50mg per sq ft. A car parked indoors with windows closed will contain 400-800mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 deg F. the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000mg, 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.

So friends, please open the windows and allow the car to air out before you close it up and turn your air on.
When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others. Please send this to all your family and friends.


If there was any truth to this my family would be dead already including me...My moms first car with factory a/c was a 1962 Oldsmoble 98...She kept it on almost all the time without airing the car out everytime she got into it.

Well here we are in 2010 and she still does not [or does anyone in my family] air out the car when we get into it...The a/c stays on automatic all time all year long in all our cars...We never cut it off ever.

How long do you think the window motors will last if you open and close the windows everytime you get into your car...My neighbor does air out his 2000 Impala everytime he gets into it...He is on his 10TH window regulator.

 

[Trav]

Quote:
Maybe this is the reason so many have been getting cancer now. We all ride in cars!!!

Car A/C (Air Conditioning) MUST READ!!!
No wonder folks are dying from cancer more than ever before. We wonder where this stuff comes from but here is an example that may explain some of the cancer causing incidents. Please pass this on to as many people as possible. Guess it's never too late to make some changes!! Do NOT turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car.

After you enter your car, OPEN the windows and WAIT a couple of minutes BEFORE turning on your air-conditioning!!

HERE’S WHY:
According to research, the car dashboard emits Benzene, a cancer causing toxin, into the air of your car. Have you ever noticed the smell of heated plastic in your car?
In addition, Benzene poisons your bones, causes anemia and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure could cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer. It may also cause miscarriage. Benzene is a toxin that also affects your kidneys and liver. What's worse, it is extremely difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.
Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50mg per sq ft. A car parked indoors with windows closed will contain 400-800mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 deg F. the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000mg, 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.

So friends, please open the windows and allow the car to air out before you close it up and turn your air on.
When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others. Please send this to all your family and friends.


The alarmist kook fringe lunatics just doing what they do best.