'Canadians deserve better': New study raises concerns about chemicals in cars linked to cancer — here's what you should know

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We all buckle up and make sure our engine is in good working order to protect ourselves when we get behind the wheel. But what about the safety of the air we breathe inside our vehicles?

A recent study has shed light on a potential danger hidden in our cars: Flame retardants used in vehicle interiors. These chemicals, while intended to enhance fire safety, raise concerns about their impact on our health. Is this something drivers need to be worried about? Here’s what you need to know.

What the research shows

The peer-reviewed study, published in Environmental Science & Technology earlier this month, investigated the presence of flame retardants in the car interiors of 101 cars from model year 2015 or newer. The researchers found concerning levels of a specific flame retardant called tris (1-chloro-isopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) in 99 per cent of the vehicles tested. TCIPP is a chemical under scrutiny by health agencies due to potential risks of cancer and other health problems.

Most cars had additional organophosphate ester flame retardants present, including TDCIPP and TCEP, two carcinogens on California’s Proposition 65 list, which are also associated with neurological and reproductive issues.

So why does it matter that these chemicals are added to the materials in our cars? Experts worry drivers and passengers are regularly exposed to these substances through inhalation, especially during hot weather when off-gasing from seat foam increases.

Cassie Barker, senior program manager for toxics at Environmental Defence, says she believes it’s time to sound the alarm on the use of flame retardants in consumer products: "These chemical flame retardants are a public health concern, as they are linked to major health harms such as cancers and thyroid issues, yet they provide questionable fire safety benefits."

How worried should you really be?

While flame retardants are meant to slow the spread of fire in case of an accident, the authors of the study question their actual effectiveness. They suggest the potential health risks outweigh the uncertain fire safety benefits — particularly for young kids, who breathe more air pound for pound compared to adults.

As Barker points out to Yahoo Canada, with most Canadians owning a car and spending around an hour per day driving, flame retardants in the air of car interiors are likely a significant exposure source.

“This is especially troubling for infants and children, whose small respiratory systems breathe in these toxics at critical developmental stages, which can lead to higher harms,” she notes.

Though more research is needed to understand the long-term health risks of flame retardants in auto interiors, their potential toxicity and lack of clear fire safety benefits raise legitimate concerns. Barker also points out these chemicals aren't limited to cars, with flame retardants often added to furniture, plastics, beds, textiles and electronics.

“It doesn’t take much of these chemical exposures to impact our health and our kids’ health,” she says, noting some companies and jurisdictions have replaced chemicals with physical flame retardants like wool where possible.

Firefighters are another group worried about their exposure to harmful flame retardants, with concerns the chemicals may contribute to the known increased risk of cancer in their occupation.

“When firefighters are asking for flame retardants to be removed from cars and products, you know there’s an issue with their effectiveness and safety benefits,” Barker shares.

What you can do to minimize your risk

The study's authors note rolling down windows or using climate control can minimize your exposure to the chemicals inside your car. Parking in a shaded area may also lower the temperature and limit the release of flame retardants. But both the researchers and Barker agree the best way to reduce health risks is to avoid adding harmful chemicals to vehicles to begin with.

"This is a difficult issue to manage on our own," Barker says, calling on Transport Canada to update its car safety standards. "Carmakers and car seat manufacturers should not be required to use these outdated chemical flame retardants. Instead, they should be able to offer us less toxic products that protect both health and fire safety."

Although the study focused on the specific issue of flame retardants in vehicles, Barker says it’s part of a broader discussion about using these chemicals in everyday products. The solution so far has been one of "regrettable substitution," which is when one chemical replaces another without sufficient testing.

"We need to deal with this entire class of chemicals so that we stop playing whack-a-mole. Our governments allow us to be the guinea pigs as companies experiment with unsafe substances," she adds, urging the federal government to enforce stricter testing regulations and to stop justifying the use of flame retardants when studies show they pose serious health risks with limited benefits.

"Canadians deserve better. This toxic cycle needs to end."

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