Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 09:00:53 -0700
Reply-To: JD Foster <jidd@JIDDWARE.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: JD Foster <jidd@JIDDWARE.COM>
Subject: Re: Things to put under the driver's seat
In-Reply-To: <1d8.28bb0cce.2e4daff9@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Pinky,
Me thinks either your mechanic may not have given you the whole story or
perhaps you have come to a somewhat erroneous conclusion from the
information he gave you. Yes, antifreeze (a generic term for *many*
different formulations of products) is toxic, but generally only so if
INGESTED. The amount that may be absorbed through the skin when
servicing your vehicle, cleaning up a spill, or any other sane use of
the product is trivial. In general, the primary concern about
antifreeze toxicity is in relation to animals. Dogs & cats will lick up
antifreeze spills because it tastes sweet.
It is not at all uncommon in most moderate to severe front-end
collisions for the cooling system integrity to be compromised, spraying
antifreeze/water all over. If this substance were as lethal as you make
it out to be, we'd have to have HAZMAT crews dispatched every time some
ya-hoo had a car wreck.
The compartment under the driver's seat generally the same construction
as the compartment under the passenger seat: a battery compartment. A
battery contains acid which if contacted with your skin, even in small
quantities, will be much worse than a similar antifreeze exposure.
Finally, considering Jeff's job (vanagon parts supplier/repair shop), I
think he safely fits into the experts category for all intents and purposes.
Here is a link to a PDF that specifically addresses the potential
toxicity of ethylene glycol (primary constituent in most antifreeze)
when absorbed through the skin:
http://www.huntsman.com/surface_sciences/Media/Skin_Contact.pdf
Below is a link to an article that gives an overview of the toxicity of
the various constituents of most antifreeze products:
http://www.vspn.org/Library/misc/VSPN_M00981.htm
Cheers,
JD
>
>Why do you carry antifreeze within the confines of the passenger compartment
>of your van? My mechanic told me that as innocuous as antifreeze might seem
>to be, it is an utterly ***toxic*** substance. Please, for your own safety and
>well being, allow only your mechanic to handle antifreeze. It is too, too
>dangerous to have it stored where it might be spilt in the unfortunate and
>unpredictable event of an accident. Some things just ***have*** to be left to the
>experts.
>
>Pinky
>
>