Of course, you’ve heard of hybrid automobiles but most people haven’t heard of their possible health risk compared to traditional vehicles. According to the New York Times, strong electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emanating from high voltage power cables located near the driver might be hazardous to your health, yet the government doesn’t even test for EMF’s in vehicles. Details, inside…
“Hybrids” are vehicles that use an electric power motor which assists a more traditional gasoline-fueled combustion engine. Unlike traditional vehicles, hybrids need to move a large amount of electricity near the driver which cause electromagnetic fields or EMFs. Many drivers are in their cars for hours at a time, making this exposure is prolonged, thus increasing the health risk. This has many drivers concerned. The article says,
Their concern is not without merit; agencies including the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute acknowledge the potential hazards of long-term exposure to a strong electromagnetic field, or E.M.F., and have done studies on the association of cancer risks with living near high-voltage utility lines.
EMFs are a byproduct of electricity, therefore, virtually every device that uses electricity produces some level of EMF. Generally, the more electricity that is involved, the stronger the EMF will be. However, there is no general agreement or federal standard that says what level of EMF’s are hazardous. Currently the government does not do safety tests on the strength of EMF’s in hybrid vehicles.
Much of this new concern over EMFs has stemmed from the use of inexpensive field-strength detectors such as the “TriField” meter which sells for $145. The article says,
The TriField meter is made by AlphaLab in Salt Lake City. The company’s president, Bill Lee, defends its use for automotive testing even though the meter is set up to test alternating current fields, whereas the power moving to and from a hybrid vehicle’s battery is direct current. “Generally, an A.C. meter is accurate in detecting large electromagnetic fields or microwaves,” he said.
Automakers argue that such instruments cannot make consistent and meaningful readings, however, there is anecdotal evidence of hybrid vehicle EMFs causing health problems. Neysa Linzer, 58, says that since she bought her Honda Civic Hybrid her blood pressure has increased and that she has fallen asleep at the wheel 3 times. She believes her hybrid is causing her health problems, “I never had a sleepiness problem before,” she said. She requested that Honda provide her with shielding material to protect her from the fields but Honda declined.
Driver, Brian Collins decided to test his Honda Insight with a Trifield meter. He received readings of 135 milligauss at the hip and 100 milligauss at the upper torso. Considering his VW Van only measures between 1-2 milligauss, he decided to sell his hybrid at a $7000 loss. The article says,
Lawrence Gust of Ventura, Calif., a consultant with a specialty in E.M.F.’s and electrical sensitivity, was one of the electrical engineers who tested Mr. Collins’s Insight in 2001. He agreed that the readings were high but did not want to speculate on whether they were harmful. “There are big blocks of high-amp power being moved around in a hybrid, the equivalent of horsepower,” he said. “I get a lot of clients who ask if they should buy hybrid electric cars, and I say the jury is still out.”
New technology often comes with new risks. Naturally, reduced gasoline consumption is a good thing but we should not ignore possible risks as these vehicles gain popularity. We encourage the government and automakers to be more forthcoming with thorough EMF research so that we don’t end up paying a higher price down the road.
Fear, but Few Facts, on Hybrid Risk [NY Times] (Thanks to Justin!)
(Photo: Getty)
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“Driver, Brian Collins decided to test his Honda Insight with a Trifield meter. He received readings of 135 milligauss at the hip and 100 milligauss at the upper torso. Considering his VW Van only measures between 1-2 milligauss, he decided to sell his hybrid at a $7000 loss.”
Wow, how nice of him to give away something he considered to be a such a health risk to someone else.
@ArdelisCeryneian:
A)You originally said, “There are Magnetic fields and there are Electric fields but there are no electromagnetic fields.” and that’s 100% wrong guy. Electromagnetic fields DO exist. [en.wikipedia.org]
There’s no edit button, so everyone can still see what you said.
B)We now agree is wrong, after I corrected you.
C) You implied DC cannot generate an electromagnetic field, and several people in the thread corrected you. See: Step-down, step-up transformers. [en.wikipedia.org] You said, “Step down transformers lower voltage not frequency.” Yes, they do lower voltage. For example, by inductive transfer of a DC generated electromagnetic field. I never said they lower frequency. No one did. Again, no edit button, so everyone can see that’s true.
D) Ever heard of a power inverter? You could not draw DC power from your cigarette lighter and turn it into AC power for your laptop if DC was incapable of generating and radiating an electromagnetic field. If it “generates” an electromagnetic field, as you’ve now admitted, then it “radiates” electromagnetism. This, by definition, is electromagnetic radiation. [en.wikipedia.org] The field doesn’t magically stop at the edge of the wire, it “radiates”. Even if you have to pulse it on and off for it for be effective, DC still generates an electromagnetic field in a transformer.
It’s cool that your job title says you’re an Engineer, but I think you’re a bit confused on a few basic principals of electronics.
I didn’t reply to be hostile, I just don’t want people to be misinformed. Mad_Science seemed to think that you were right, and that my understanding of electronics was, “from 1865″. Obviously I didn’t want this to remain uncorrected. There needs to be some reliable info out there. Correcting such blatant misinformation is what any knowledgeable good Samaritan would do..
Take Care.
@Jay Slatkin:
Nonsense Jay, I think this article was informative to the consumer. Hybrids masquerade as some environmentally friendly goodie-2-shoes car when they are not. Manufacturers and the oil companies are in bed with each other, there’s a reason it’s hybrid — it still takes gasoline, and we’ll be dependent on gasoline as an energy source for the next 50 years until someone gives an ACTUAL alternative that makes sense.
Jay:
It’s one thing to say it needs more testing, but this isn’t why. More interesting problems are things like teaching fire departments how to deal with electric car fires and such.
Meanwhile:
“Neysa Linzer, 58, says that since she bought her Honda Civic Hybrid her blood pressure has increased and that she has fallen asleep at the wheel 3 times.”
Sounds like she has sleep apnea. This has nothing to do with EMF.
Ciao!
This artical is a bunch of unscientific bull shit. I worked in a power plant for 12 years which subjected me to more EMF’s than any normal person in the public… and there’s not a damn thing wrong with me. Consumerist…Why dont you stop spreading false rumors about something you obviously know nothing about!
I am disturbed that the much-respected Consumerist would write an article lending validity to pseudoscience of any sort, especially EMF scare-stories! Studies have shown that there is no link between EMFs and cancer, nor could there be. The only possible way for an electromagnetic field to interfere with the body is by influencing the components of the body that have magnetic properties. The thing is, there are none! Not even the iron found in blood is attracted to magnets – it is actually in an altered chemical state, rendering it non-magnetic. Please do not contribute to the poor science education of our nation by publishing these sorts of stories.
References: http://medgadget.com/archives/2006/07/pseudoscience_f_1.html http://www.csicop.org/sb/9509/rothman.html http://physics.syr.edu/courses/modules/PSEUDO/pseudo_main.html http://io9.com/383293/the-pseudo+sciences-youre-most-likely-to-see-in-the-next-50-years
@Jaysyn: Don’t you mean break out the tinfoil underpants?
I wonder how much EMF they have in their home and their workplace? Presumably they spend more time there than in their car? How much radiation are they getting from their cell phone irradiating their reproductive organs (when mounted on the hip or pocket) and brain (when mounted on their ear)?
This sounds like people wanting free money from corporations and trial lawyers wanting money from deep-pocketed corporations.
Did it occur to anyone that driving a car is possibly the most dangerous
thing anyone can do?
And, yes, the earth’s magnetic field may be stronger than the reading
measured in this car.
Perhaps the magnetic field from a car stereo speaker located in the door
is stronger. Car
stereos might kill you, yeah, that’s the ticket.
I have no proof to support any of the above, except for driving a car
being one of the most
dangerous human activities.