We got this email and thought its worth sharing. The given article is based on true facts!
Please do not turn on A/C immediately as soon as you enter the car. Open the windows after you enter your car and turn ON the air-conditioning after a couple of minutes.
According to a research done, the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener emits Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen – take note of the heated plastic Smell in your car). In addition to causing cancer, it poisons your bones, causes anemia, and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia,increasing the risk of cancer. May also cause miscarriage.
Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft. A car parked indoors with the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level and the people inside the car will inevitably inhale an excess amount of the toxins.
It is recommended that you open the windows and door to give time for the interior to air out before you enter. Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver, and is very difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.
Edit : This seems to be a hoax aaccording to Hoax Busters. Thanks Harshad for the tip.
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June 5, 2009 at 12:25 pm
What are the chances of this being a hoax?
June 5, 2009 at 12:29 pm
None, I don’t think its a hoax and I have heard from doctors that fresh air is important. Remember on 26th July, during flooding, many people got poisoned due to similar reasons sitting in their car with AC on.
June 5, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Fas, r u always on this site, how do u always reply so fast?
June 5, 2009 at 5:17 pm
None, not always on the site, but when I am online I reply. Also by subscribing to comments, you get an instant email when someone posts, helps to reply fast :)
June 5, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Thanks for the info fas. I wouldn’t want to have cancer, even if this is not yet actually 100% confirmed, it won’t hurt to be cautious and follow the precautions.Prevention is better than cure, so might as well follow :)
June 5, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Fas, d above post is so useful. Thanks
June 6, 2009 at 8:47 pm
fas, was just investigating for the chances of this being a hoax, this is what i found:
source: http://www.hoaxbusters.org/faq.html
search for ‘air conditioner’ question on this site n click it.
This story warns folks not to turn on the air conditioner immediately
upon entering their car because of benzene found in various and sundry
car parts. It seems to have originated, and grown, in some Asian
countries before spreading worldwide.
Benzene is an aromatic hydrocarbon that is produced by the burning of
natural products. It is a component of products derived from coal and
petroleum and is found in gasoline and other fuels. Benzene is used in
the manufacture of plastics, detergents, pesticides, and other
chemicals.
There is a tiny bit of truth here. A small level of benzene directly
related to manufacturing is present in the interior air of a car. The
good news is that it only occurs in brand new cars, and it dissipates
in about six months. Benzene is not really a problem for cars older
than six months.
The bad news is that there is a greater concentration of benzene in
the air outside of a car. It is a byproduct of gasoline, and is
released into the air in vehicle exhaust. The level of benzene in
gasoline is the largest factor determining the level of benzene in
tailpipe emissions. Carcinogenic chemicals, including benzene, can
become trapped inside your car from the exhaust of the vehicle in
front of you.
Outdoor air contains benzene from tobacco smoke, gas stations, motor
vehicle exhaust, and industrial emissions. So, when that e-mail
recommends that you open the windows and doors to give time for the
interior to air out before entering, in effect that is really letting
in even more polluted air.
The e-mail mentions research, but does mention the researcher(s). It
also states that leukemia causes cancer, conveniently ignoring the
fact that leukemia is cancer. Most telling, though, is the fact that
if this were a hazard, the already beleaguered car manufactures would
be run out of business by the myriad law suits. In the end, this is
just another time-wasting e-mail chain letter.
June 7, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Woooow None you have done alot of analysis there. Surely this means driving with the windows down is harmful too. Anyways switching of the AC as soon as the car is started is not advisable, you should wait atleast 5 secs and let the engine get into its rhythm.
June 7, 2009 at 2:37 pm
yeah, thats true, n also if u open the windows for a couple of mins once u sit inside the car it gives a way out to the heat trapped inside, this in turn loads the AC lesser. Most of the times I follow this practice, not for the benzene ;) but for better performance of the AC :)
June 7, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Harshad, any which way its a good practise. When you park your car in the heat, you can keep the window slightly open, it should be very little otherwise theft if possible.
June 7, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Thanks Harshad for your email. Post edited.