Sources of Benzene and How To Avoid Exposure

High levels of exposure to benzene can be dangerous. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), long-term exposure to high levels of benzene can cause leukemia and other cancers, menstrual issues in women, and congenital disabilities in children.

Because benzene is so dangerous, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other agencies have created regulations to control the presence of benzene.

For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set short-term and long-term exposure limits for benzene in the workplace (1 ppm). Employees may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits if their employer violates these standards. There are also maximum acceptable benzene concentrations in drinking water and beverages.

This article explains what products contain benzene and how you can come into contact with this dangerous chemical. It also discusses the adverse health effects of long-term exposure. If you believe exposure to benzene caused your cancer or some other illness, contact a personal injury lawyer specializing in toxic tort law immediately.

Why Is Benzene So Dangerous to Public Health?

Coming into contact with benzene can make you sick. Typically, low levels of benzene won’t be harmful. Most of us encounter benzene daily through motor vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoke, cigarette smoke, and other air pollutants. Even nonsmokers come into contact with benzene.

But if you encounter high levels of benzene, you can become quite ill.

One of the reasons benzene is so dangerous is that you don’t always know when it’s present. Aside from its sweet odor, it can be hard to detect this toxin. That’s why it can have such an impact on physical and environmental health.

If you experience long-term exposure to benzene, you can develop several adverse health effects. These include:

• Leukemia
• Damage to your nervous system
• Harm to your immune system
• Aplastic anemia
• Liver and kidney damage

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), benzene impacts your bone marrow, which, in turn, threatens your red blood cells and white blood cells. This compromises your immune system and can cause certain cancers.

Whether you become sick depends on the concentration of benzene that you encounter. It also depends on exposure levels. For example, short-term exposure may not cause any physical effects. But long-term exposure can have devastating consequences.

Natural Processes That Produce Benzene

For the most part, humans are exposed to benzene through consumer products. But natural processes also produce this chemical. For example, forest fires produce benzene. So do volcanic eruptions. Depending on where you live, you can also find it in trace amounts in the dirt, air, and water.

People in firefighting and related industries may suffer from occupational exposure to benzene. Whether they get sick depends on the amount of benzene they encounter. It also depends on the concentration of benzene in the air. Companies are legally required to maintain low levels of benzene to ensure occupational safety.

Just because these processes are natural doesn’t mean they don’t cause environmental health concerns.

Products Containing Benzene

Despite the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) listing benzene as dangerous, manufacturers still use benzene in many products. Some of these include:

• Paint
• Lacquer
• Varnish removers
• Gasoline fumes and other fuels
• Glues
• Furniture wax
• Dyes and Detergents
• Adhesives and coatings
• Plastics
• Rubbers
• Crude oil
• Industrial solvents and degreasing formulations

If you use any of these products, you risk coming into contact with benzene.

Is There Benzene in Soft Drinks?

Soft drinks and other beverages may contain benzoate salts (such as sodium or potassium). These salts act as a preservative that inhibits the growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds.

Beverages may also contain vitamin C (ascorbic acid) to prevent spoilage and for additional nutrients. Light and heat conditions cause benzoate salts to react with ascorbic acid to form benzene.

A recent FDA/CFSAN study shows that most soft drinks and other beverages to date do not pose a safety concern. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to follow up with companies producing beverages with high benzene levels.

Processes That Involve Benzene

Even if you avoid products that use benzene as an additive, you can still be at risk. Many processes use benzene. Some of these are things you encounter daily. For example, if you commercially dry clean your clothes, you can be exposed to benzene. The same is true if you stop to get gas.

Some of the significant sources of benzene exposure include the following:

• Emissions from motor vehicle exhaust
• Tobacco smoke
• Industrial emissions
• Burning coal and oil
• Painting and lithography
• Dry cleaning
• Chemical agents used to make plastics, resins, nylons, and synthetic fibers
• Making certain products, such as lubricants, dyes, detergents, pesticides, and certain drugs

If these activities surround you, you could be at a heightened cancer risk or develop anemia or bone marrow damage.

Where Else Can You Find Benzene?

You can find benzene in surprising places. For example, the air around waste sites and gas stations contains benzene. Because auto emissions expel benzene, you’re bound to encounter it at auto garages.

If you live near factories and industrial processing plants, you may encounter contaminated well water. Benzene leaks from underground storage tanks and hazardous waste sites. Exposure levels in these places can be dangerously high.

You could be at risk depending on the parts per million (ppm) concentration. Given the adverse effects of benzene, it’s wise to avoid these areas if possible.

Symptoms of Benzene Exposure

If exposed to high levels of benzene, watch for specific symptoms. These are the signs that indicate you may have been exposed to toxic levels of this hazardous chemical.

If you come into contact with benzene (even low levels), refer to this list of common symptoms of benzene toxicity:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Headaches
• Tremors
• Confusion
• Unconsciousness

If you’ve experienced these symptoms following exposure to benzene in any of the above-listed contexts, contact your doctor or go directly to a medical facility for testing.

Share your symptoms with the doctor. Also, let them know how you came into contact with benzene. For example, ingestion is different from inhalation. Your doctors will need this information to properly treat you.

Testing for Benzene in the Body

Medical professionals use several toxicology tests to determine whether you’ve been overexposed to benzene. These tests measure benzene levels in your blood, breath, and urine. Your healthcare provider must perform these tests shortly after exposure. Otherwise, the benzene levels may not be accurate.

Benzene detection in urine involves the measurement of benzene metabolites (end products of benzene), some of which you can measure. But this is only a partially accurate test. There can be many other reasons for the presence of similar metabolites in urine.

Avoiding Future Exposure to Benzene

Now that you understand how dangerous benzene can be, you must try to avoid future exposure. While you can’t completely avoid car exhaust, gas stations, and other environmental benzene sources, you can try to limit your exposure. Below are tips to help limit exposure to benzene.

• Ventilation — Ensure good ventilation in indoor spaces, particularly if you work with or around products that contain benzene. Proper ventilation helps disperse airborne contaminants. Get plenty of fresh air.

• Limit benzene-containing products — Avoid using or being around benzene products, such as specific cleaning agents, paint thinners, glues, and solvents. Choose alternative products whenever possible.

• Choose clean burning fuels — If you use fuel-burning appliances or vehicles, opt for cleaner burning fuels that produce fewer emissions, which can help reduce ambient benzene levels.

• Air quality monitoring — Consider using indoor air quality monitors to track pollutants, including volatile organic compounds like benzene.

• Properly maintain vehicles — Regularly service and maintain your vehicles to ensure proper combustion and reduce emissions. This can help limit benzene exposure from exhaust fumes.

• Choose safe locations — If you’re relocating or selecting a new home, consider air quality and proximity to potential sources of benzene, such as industrial areas or heavily trafficked roads.

• Workplace safety — If you work in an environment where benzene is present, follow workplace safety procedures, use protective equipment, and take part in training to cut exposure.

• Protect your family — If you work in an environment prone to benzene exposure, don’t bring the toxic chemical home to your family. Remove any contaminated clothing as soon as you enter your house. Don’t pull contaminated clothing over your head. Cut it off instead. Wash the garments immediately to prevent further exposure.

• Properly dispose of exposed clothing — Remove your clothing as quickly as possible and dispose of it in a plastic bag. Wear gloves if you can’t touch the clothing without exposing yourself to the affected areas. You can also use tongs, tool handles, sticks, or similar objects to dispose of contaminated clothing. Place anything that touches the contaminated clothing in the bag and double-seal it when you’re done.

What if I Get Benzene on My Skin or in My Eyes?

If you get benzene on your skin, wash it with soap and hot water. Skin contact with benzene can irritate and degrease your skin. Wash it off immediately to prevent undue harm.

You should also avoid touching other people with benzene on your skin. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), people inhaling benzene can’t contaminate others. But if they ingest or touch it, they can transfer it to your skin.

If it gets in your eyes, rinse them with plain water for 10-15 minutes. Remove contact lenses after washing your hands and put them with your contaminated clothing. Don’t put your contact lenses back in. Wash contaminated eyeglasses with soap and water, and then you can wear them.

What Should I Do if I Ingest Benzene?

If you or your child swallows benzene, seek immediate medical attention. Do not induce vomiting or attempt CPR (which also causes vomiting) since vomit can enter your lungs, causing damage to the lungs.

Report the Benzene Exposure

If exposed to benzene at work, you must take specific steps to protect your legal rights. If the exposure happened during employment, you’ll probably be eligible for workers’ compensation.

To increase the chances of the insurance company approving your workers’ comp claim, do the following things immediately after you learn of the benzene poisoning:

• Report the exposure to your manager or human resources department
• Seek immediate medical attention
• Follow whatever medical advice your workers’ compensation doctor recommends
• Talk to a workers’ comp attorney near you to help with your claim

If your exposure didn’t happen at work, you still need immediate medical attention. Then, you should meet with a toxic tort lawyer and find out if you have a valid legal claim. You may get damages if you can prove who caused your injuries or illness.

How an Attorney Can Help With Your Toxic Torts Claim

If you suspect you may have encountered high levels of benzene, act quickly and go to the emergency room. Healthcare professionals will perform necessary testing to determine whether your health is in danger. If you are injured, you may want to contact a toxic torts lawyer.

If exposed to benzene at work, you may need to file a workers’ compensation claim. This will help cover your medical care and some of your lost wages. But if exposed to the chemical in some other way, you may need to file a legal claim against the responsible party.

Proving causation in a benzene lawsuit is challenging. For example, you may know that a local factory emits tons of benzene. But you may not recover damages if you can’t prove that it caused your illness. For the best chance at a favorable outcome, consider hiring an attorney to help file your lawsuit.

FindLaw’s directory of toxic tort attorneys can get you started. Select your state or city to review contact and ratings information for local experts. Your search results will also link you to additional details about the attorneys’ experience with benzene litigation. Many law offices offer free case evaluations.