Filed under: Etc., EV/Plug-in, Hybrid
Will your green car give you cancer?
"Yikes! What are you even talking about? I only wanted a hybrid, not cancer!", you might be thinking to yourself after reading the headline. Well relax, it's probably nothing. But apparently in addition to being a danger to blind pedestrians, the hybrid car is now being looked at askance by some people because of the electromagnetic field (EMF) it produces. Are we serious? Well, no less than the New York Times brought it up in its Sunday edition.
Although we are reminded by the article that many of us use electric blankets and cell phones, some folks were concerned enough about the readings they took on hand-held EMF field-strength testers that they actually sold their hybrids. The maker of a particular tester defended its use for automotive purposes despite the fact that it is set up to measure alternating current (AC) fields as opposed to the direct current (DC) of car systems saying, "Generally, an A.C. meter is accurate in detecting large electromagnetic fields or microwaves." The car manufacturers, Honda and Toyota, were both quick to assure that there is absolutely no danger presented by the fields which are well beneath European guidelines. (There are currently no federal standards in the U.S.). The article didn't mention any health benefits of switching to a zero emissions vehicles. Our health suggestion? (Note: we are bloggers, not doctors) Eat well, exercise and relieve your stress by reading AutoblogGreen every morning.
[Source: New York Times]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
EVan 2:48PM (4/28/2008)
Domenick, nearly all hybrid cars run on AC power. The DC power supply (Battery) is converted to AC via an inverter. The reason for this is that AC induction motors are far more efficient than their DC conterparts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverter_(electrical)
(fyi)
Reply
EVan 2:50PM (4/28/2008)
Ok, maybe I was being harsh... I see the AC-DC mixup was made by the journalist for the NYTimes.
Crummy article in general.
Reply
Mark 3:37PM (4/28/2008)
More Exxon Mobil Fear mongering. Gasoline fumes are FAR more unhealthy then an electro magnetic field.
My proof? The common household produces more of an electro magnetic field then the car...if you combined every phone, speaker, and wiring within the house.
Just another thing that Big Oil is trying to catch onto to prevent people from buying hybrids and electric cars.
Reply
Barry Beatmaster 4:42PM (4/28/2008)
what about the electrical system in conventional cars?
there's an alternator running continuously, an ignition system, spark plugs-
surely that lot produces electromagnetic radiation?
"these figures contrasted sharply with results from his Volkswagen van, which measured one to two milligauss." would that be more to do with the engine being at the back in a VW van?
Reply
rgseidl 5:48PM (4/28/2008)
The same people that will sell their car because they're concerned about electromagnetic fields will no doubt readily submit to an MRI scan to assuage their hypochondriac fields.
This superstitious nonsense is what happens when you let the religious right neuter science and science education. Next, they'll demand that children be told all species sprang into existence fully formed. Oh, wait ...
Reply
mike 6:07PM (4/28/2008)
What about all those Subway Riders in NY, do they all get cancer at 40?
Or Ever?
Reply
kballs 6:36PM (4/28/2008)
BAN HYBRIDZ! THEYRE KILLING OUR BABIEZ! I CAN SENSE A HYBRID DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, IT GIVES ME AN INSTANT HEADACHE! (LOL, references to the wi-fi FUD)
Reply
Harvest 8:35PM (4/28/2008)
Wow! Someone let out the crazies for this one.
#3 Mike: Exxon-Mobile has enough to do that they don't need to spread propaganda. Seriously, the anti-corporate hate is ridiculous. Whatever happened to big oil working WITH the auto industry to kill freedom and keep the man down? Grow up.
#5 rgseidl: Superstitious nonsense? Religious right? Whoa bucko, electromagnetic fields are real. Their tendency to increase the risk of cancer is real. The NYTimes article is crummy due to the fact that it was written by someone who appears to be science illiterate, however, the fact remains that intense e-mag fields resulting from a high power electrical system may indeed increase the risk of cancer.
Reply
Chris M 2:49AM (4/29/2008)
Sounds like the latest hypochondriac panic, the latest disease du-jour.
I'd agree that it is unlikely that any oil company is behind this, officially. After all, why lift a finger when there are so many willing to do the work for free? Unofficialy, some of their employees may be spreading rumours in a vain attempt to squelch threats to their livelihood.
The whole silly panic got started when a researcher discovered a correlation between houses near high voltage power lines and childhood leukemia, and jumped to the unwarranted conclusion that EM fields were to blame. Never mind that neighborhoods near high voltage lines might also be poor and near industrial polluted areas! Later studies measuring actual exposure to EM fields found no correlation to any form of cancer.
If you insist on panicking over EM fields, then don't use an electric blanket, don't use a blow dryer, and avoid phones and earphones, as they all would expose you to more EM fields than a hybrid car could. Better yet, go rustic and live in the backwoods without electricity - and never mind the toxic exposure to candle smoke and kerosene lamp fumes!
Reply
Paul Allen 8:24AM (4/29/2008)
The one study that showed a relationship between EMF and cancer has now been discredited, because the researcher faked the data to reach the conclusions he wanted.
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Electromagnetic_Fields_and_Cancer_Risk_.asp
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/not99-111.html
Reply
Azrael4h 9:36AM (4/29/2008)
As opposed to what? EVERY "scientific" study fakes data to support the conclusions of those who fund it. It is easy to predict with 99% accuracy the results of any study simply by finding out who funded it, and what their personal agenda is. I used to actually do that, until I got bored and started designing an unlicensed nuclear accelerator.
To quote a user on a message board from long ago; "Given enough money an expert would swear up and down that my genitals were a fountain of youth."
Reply
mroverlord 10:09AM (4/29/2008)
As a friend pointed out "How do WE know there is a hole in the Ozone? We rely on the word of the scientists investigating it. If they ever said there WASN'T a hole, or that it was always there, they would immediately put themselves out of a job."
Not to say the Ozone layer isn't having problems...that's just the example he used.
Reply
John Rowell 12:39PM (4/29/2008)
I think it's about time someone took this matter seriously. EMFs are a legitimate concern and one that can easily be dealt with. People with pacemakers are more vulnerable. The good news is it's easy and cheap to significantly reduce EMF emissions by careful placement of components and by proper shielding.
Reply
Franklin 12:42PM (4/29/2008)
None of these hybrids use a massive AC motor like those that will be in all-electric vehicles (and the Volt).
I would not be so quick to assume no harmful effects from basically taking a long, daily commuter EMF "bath" or even longer "soaks" during vacation trips.
I'm not saying there is convincing research showing harmful effects from ambient EMF, but this (EVs) won't be like having power lines outside your house. Your own body be straddling the field.
In America we implement technologies first and ask questions later. We like to make the whole population the guinea pigs for: genetically altered food, above ground atomic tests, unsafe-at-any-speed automobiles for the first 60 years, Billion-to-one odds totally safe nuclear plants....
Reply
Sean 3:03PM (4/29/2008)
Wow. Strong opinions here. This can only be conclusively answered with multiple double-blind, long-term studies. Until then, remember that once the electricity is off, the threat is completely gone unlike the pollution produced by an ICE.
Aside from that, AC motors (the most efficient ones) require strong EMFs to operate. All a motor mfgr has to do is wrap the motor in shielding and the problem is gone. (However, if one could direct the power in those stray fields to do more work, well that's a lot better. This must be what's going on with that guy who stumbled upon a self-accelerating motor-generator system.)
Reply
Mark 5:27PM (4/29/2008)
I think it's worth noting the difference between ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. The radiation from normal (i.e. not an X-ray machine) electronics is non-ionizing. I don't think there is a real balance of evidence to show non-ionizing radiation is harmful to living creatures. In any case, the government generally sets out "safe" levels just in case they might be harmful. We aren't talking about high voltage power lines here, hybrids might use 500VAC? Nearly every street with power on it uses 10Kv+ transformed down to mains voltage, and that stuff has to ride in across neighbourhoods from the power station.
Reply
verbier88s 9:40PM (9/28/2008)
Came across these of interest:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/honda_insight.html
http://www.hybridcars.com/safety/hybrid-emf-risk-still-uncertain.html
http://www.topix.net/forum/autos/toyota/T4MCIKA8C4G3UMQ8U
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2293369,00.asp
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/automobiles/27EMF.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
The emf in hybrid cars appears to be up to 200 times that in normal cars and up to fifty times the level determined as safe for children and pregnant women.
Likewise it makes the emf levels associated with cellphone use trivial.
Links between high emf exposure and certain cancers has been established
http://www.ehso.com/ehshome/emf.htm
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/magnetic-fields
and others are suspected.
Reply