CHENNAI: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that a study on the effect of flame retardants used in the interiors of cars on professional drivers will be conducted to evaluate the health risks of such chemicals.

As part of the study, ICMR will enrol 180 professional drivers working in three different climatic zones – hot and arid, cold, and hot and humid. The drivers will be selected based on the type of cars (SUVs, sedans and hatchbacks). Biological samples of apparently healthy drivers will be collected and the results of the drivers' samples will be compared with the sample results of unexposed persons.

The development is following a suo motu case taken up by the NGT about chemicals used as flame retardants. "As vehicles become more modern and comfort-driven, their interiors increasingly rely on synthetic materials like polyurethane foams, plastic composites, and textiles. While these materials enhance aesthetics and performance, they often contain substances inadvertently introduced during production," ICMR explains.

Classified as organophosphate flame retardants (OPFR), the synthetic materials comprise various forms of Tris Phosphates. As the compounds are semi-volatile in nature and are not permanently bonded, they are slowly released into the vehicles' cabins over time. The process is further accelerated by heat. As a result, both drivers and passengers may be unknowingly exposed to such chemicals.

Reasoning its proposal to conduct a study, the ICMR further stated, "While international studies have measured flame retardants in vehicle interiors, none has examined this issue through India's unique climate, vehicle usage patterns, or market structure. Moreover, the inclusion of zone-wise sampling across India's varied climate regions allows for a nuanced understanding of how seasonal temperature changes influence emission intensity."

A study conducted by researchers in foreign universities and published in the Environmental Science and Technology journal found that 99% cars made between 2015 and 2022 have flame retardants and warned that the chemicals are cancer-causing.

ICMR expects the study would generate the first comprehensive dataset on the presence and human exposure to OPFRs.