Consumers are exposed to cars’ flame retardant chemicals, study says

A new study says Americans are endangered by flame retardant chemicals through dust and air in their cars, especially in hotter temperatures.

Those chemicals are in seat foam to slow down fire if the car bursts into flames.

While some types of flame retardant chemicals have already been legally restricted due to negative health effects, other categories, such as brominated and organophosphate ester flame retardants, are more common.

Exposure to certain organophosphate esters can cause negative birth effects and cancer, according to the study, published Tuesday in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

When organophosphate ester flame retardant decomposes due to heat, it releases toxic fumes, according to the National Institutes of Health.

“In hotter temperatures, the chemicals are able to be released from the car materials more easily, and so you end up with higher concentration,” study co-author Lydia Jahl with the Green Science Policy Institute told CBS News.

Some are calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to update regulations and keep flame retardants out of seat foam.

The American Chemistry Council trade group hit back at increased regulation, saying, “If enacted, these restrictions have the potential for a detrimental impact on the supply chains for vital technologies, including semiconductors, clean energy solutions like electric vehicles, and many modern health care applications.”