Researchers at the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center have published new findings on the health risks associated with electric vehicle (EV) fires. The research indicates that these fires expose firefighters, vehicle owners, and nearby communities to dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals.
“While all fires pose exposure risks, EV fires elevate the risk to firefighters, owners and the nearby community because they are powered by massive batteries containing high concentrations of heavy metals,” stated Dr. Alberto Caban-Martinez, deputy director of Sylvester’s Firefighter Cancer Initiative (FCI). “Many of these metals are associated with increased cancer risk due to their potential to cause DNA damage, oxidative stress and genetic alterations.”
The study points to the presence of several potentially carcinogenic heavy metals within EV batteries, including:
- Arsenic: Linked to various cancers, including lung, bladder, and skin cancers.
- Cadmium: Associated with lung, prostate, and kidney cancers.
- Chromium: Linked to lung, nasal, and sinus cancers.
- Nickel: Linked to lung, nasal, and laryngeal cancers.
- Lead: Tied to brain, kidney, and lung cancers.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has documented that firefighters already face a 9% higher risk of developing cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer compared to the broader population.
To address these concerns, Sylvester launched its Firefighter Cancer Initiative in 2015. Erin Kobetz, director and principal investigator of the FCI, highlighted the importance of collaboration, stating, “There’s a recognition at Sylvester that we have the scientific and clinical expertise, and firefighters have the day-to-day occupational expertise. If we want to ask the right questions and get the best answers, we need to incorporate their perspectives and insights into what we do. That partnership is saving lives, and it will continue to save lives.”
The research included a controlled EV fire study, during which researchers monitored air and environmental contamination, arriving at the following findings:
- EV battery fires burn hotter than conventional car fires.
- Exploding EV batteries can propel debris up to 40 feet.
- Extinguishing an EV fire can necessitate the use of up to 30,000 gallons of water; a typical car fire requires approximately 750 gallons.
- Levels of cancer-causing chemicals, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), increased in the surrounding ground after the fire.
Researchers stressed the critical importance of post-fire decontamination measures to mitigate the cancer risk to firefighters and the surrounding community. “If we do our research correctly in line with our mission,” Caban-Martinez said, “We can reduce the cancer burden for current and future firefighters and the communities they serve.”
