What your commute has to do with your cancer risk

How much time do you spend behind the wheel? If you’re like most Americans, quite a bit…

Most of us spend more than 17,600 minutes driving each year. That’s equal to seven 40-hour workweeks. Yikes! And the amount of time we spend driving keeps going up…

Between 2014 and 2019, the amount of time the average American spent driving went up five percent.

Now, maybe you love being behind the wheel. Or maybe, like me, driving is far from your favorite activity. Either way, there’s something you need to be aware of…

The amount of time you spend in your car could be increasing your cancer risk.

There’s a carcinogen in your car seat

Here’s something you may not know…

While you’re sitting at a red light thinking about what to make for dinner, you’re being exposed to a potential carcinogen.

I’m not talking about the pollutants coming out of your tailpipe. Although, those have concerning health impacts too. I’m talking about a chemical that’s inside the car with you… right underneath your nose… or more accurately, right underneath your butt.

A chemical called TDCIPP or chlorinated tris is still widely used in car seat fabric and foam, and it’s released as dust into your car.

This chemical is a flame retardant that used to be in a lot of house furniture too. But in 2013, it was placed on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals that require a cancer warning label. As a result, it was phased out of most furniture. But it’s still in plenty of car seats. And the more time you spend in your car, the more you’re exposed to it. Case in point?

Related: 6 hidden carcinogens to purge from your home

Researchers at the University of California Riverside found that that less than a week of commuting results in increased exposure to this chemical.

The study included 90 students who commuted between fifteen minutes and two hours per day. These students wore silicone wristbands for five days. Why?

Because silicone captures airborne contaminants, and researchers wanted to see how many contaminants were floating around in their cars over these five days — particularly how much chlorinated tris. And here’s what they found…

The longer students commuted, the more chlorinated tris was on their bracelets. In fact, it was the only chemical that showed a strong positive association with commute time. Researchers could have gone a step further and taken urine samples to see if chlorinated tris ended up in students’ bodies. But they suspect that it did because it’s practically impossible to avoid the inhalation of dust. And that’s where chlorinated tris hides.

Cutting down your chlorinated tris exposure

Do you want to know something scary? In the 1970s, chlorinated tris was used in children’s pajamas. And it’s still used in some children’s car seats today. Crazy, right? Especially when you consider that, besides being a suspected carcinogen, chlorinated tris is also tied to infertility and fetal development issues.

So, play it safe. Reduce your exposure to this and other chemical flame retardants whenever possible. And in case you’re worried about the whole fire protection thing, it’s questionable whether they really help with that…

Some research shows that foam containing flame retardants produces the double as much smoke, seven times as much carbon dioxide and 70 times as much soot.

You can reduce your exposure to chlorinated tris and other flame retardants by:

• Spending less time driving. Cars are an unavoidable part of modern life, which means you will be exposed to some chlorinated tris. But the less time you spend in your vehicle, the better.
• Buying products that use foam alternatives, like cotton, wool, natural latex. Products made with untreated polyurethane foam are also an option.
• Buying products for your kids or grandkids that are labeled as flame-retardant free.
• Checking the labels (underneath seat cushions) before buying new furniture. If you can’t tell whether a piece of furniture contains chlorinated tris, ask.
• Replacing foam products or furniture that are crumbling. Crumbling foam exposes you to high levels of these chemicals.
• Not purchasing carpet that includes padding made from recycled or scrap polyurethane foam.

Washing your hands frequently and keeping your car and house clean can also reduce your exposure since dust is typically how it makes its way into our bodies.

Since you can’t completely avoid chlorinated tris, you’ll also want to focus on helping your body filter it (and other chemicals) better. Eating an organic diet can lighten your body’s chemical load and help with detox. Exercising is also an effective way to support your body’s natural detoxification process.

Sources:

1. New commuter concern: Cancerous chemical in car seats — MedicalXpress
2. Longer commutes are associated with increased human exposure to tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate — Environment International
3. Think You’re In Your Car More? You’re Right. Americans Spend 70 Billion Hours Behind the Wheel — AAA
4. Americans Spend an Average of 17,600 Minutes Driving Each Year — AAA
5. Chlorinated Tris — Proposition 65
6. Non-Toxic Car Seats: How to Avoid Toxic Flame Retardants in Car Seats — The Gentle Nursery