Can Magnetic Fields from Electric and Hybrid Cars Cause Cancer?
The green credentials of electric and hybrid cars are praised, but so too are the risks of magnetic fields. These invisible forces – produced by the car’s batteries, motors and cables – can generate small electrical ripples in our body, and potentially affect our biological processes. There is the need to be clear about the risks and find solutions as these vehicles get more popular.
What Does This Mean When These Fields Act on the Human Body?
The power of magnetic fields – especially the alternating type found in EVs and hybrid cars – is what sets off currents and voltages within the human body.
In simple terms: these fields produce tiny electrical pulses in our bodies.
Although this sounds unremarkable, our bodies have their own innate electrical signals to work with — like controlling the heart and brain. Such natural processes could be disrupted by magnetic fields from external sources and thereby have adverse health effects.
Are Magnetic Fields Harmful?
The WHO considers extremely low-frequency (ELF) magnetic fields “possibly carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2B) (source: WHO). This stems from research indicating a link between exposure to these fields and an increased risk of illnesses such as childhood leukemia.
This classification doesn’t guarantee that magnetic fields are carcinogenic, but it does indicate that enough is the case to be concerned. To put that into perspective, Group 2B also contains substances such as lead and chloroform – things that should indeed be avoided at all costs.
What Does the Science Say?
Scientists have carried out research to find out what the dangers of ELF magnetic fields might be. In the short version, these were the main conclusions:
- ELF Magnetic Fields May Lead to Currents in the Body: ELF magnetic fields can trigger small electrical currents in the body, which can interfere with biological functions. This is particularly alarming because our nervous and cardiovascular systems rely on fine electrical signals.
- Childhood Leukemia: A number of researchers have linked home exposure to higher levels of magnetic fields to increased incidence of childhood leukemia (source: Exposure to magnetic fields and childhood leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies – PubMed).
- Workplace Exposure: One pooled study from the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project examined occupational exposures and the relationship to gastric cancer. Researchers concluded that the exposure to “radiation and magnetic fields” increased the risk of diffuse-type gastric cancer (source: Occupational exposures and odds of gastric cancer: a StoP project consortium pooled analysis – International Journal of Epidemiology | Oxford Academic).
- Animal Research: Studies on animals subjected to magnetic fields have had a mixed response. In some instances, it increased tumor growth; in others, it didn’t.
But What About Magnetic Fields In Cars?
In electric and hybrid vehicles, passenger proximity to sources of magnetic fields (the battery, motor, and connecting cables) poses a safety risk. These fields are at their strongest when the car is charging or speeding up and are always changing. That’s magnetic fields changing, and these can create currents in the body.
In contrast to other sources of magnetic fields that we have in the ordinary realm (think appliances), car exposure can be prolonged and proximate. These conditions increase the opportunity for magnetic fields to play with the body’s innate electrical networks.
What Can Be Done to Reduce Risk?
The following are a few suggestions to make if you are worried about car magnetic field exposure:
- Move Further Away: Magnetic fields diminish over distance. When possible, move as far away from the car’s motor, battery or cables as you can. In the backseat, for example, you might get less exposure.
- Study Car Types: Some cars are better at blocking magnetic fields. Investigating before you buy may make a difference.
- Use Solutions Such As SafeFields: Innovative products such as SafeFields reduce the impact of car magnetic fields. These are technologies that neutralize or cancel ELF magnetic fields, and they provide an additional safety net.
