In a meeting convened in Lyon, France by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) a working group of 20 international experts from 16 countries evaluated fuels and vapours studies assessing the carcinogenicity of automotive gasoline (petrol) and some oxygenated gasoline additives.
The IARC has re-classified automotive gasoline as a Group 1 carcinogen and therefore carcinogenic to humans.
Previously, gasoline and diesel exhausts were evaluated and resulting in diesel exhaust being classified as Group 1 carcinogenic to humans, and gasoline exhaust classified as Group 2B possibly carcinogenic to humans.
Occupational and general population exposure to automotive gasoline is primarily through inhalation of vapours. Occupational exposure occurs during the production and transport of gasoline and during vehicle refuelling, with exposure being recorded in ship, truck and railroad tanker workers, gasoline pump repairers and inspectors, service station attendants and vehicle mechanics.
Automotive gasoline was previously evaluated by the organization in 1988 and classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans. It was reevaluated based on the publication of new evidence provided by several studies on cancer in humans and experimental animals, as well as the publication of scientific literature on mechanistic data.
IARC is a research organization that generates and evaluates evidence related to the causes of cancer but does not make health recommendations. However, the evaluations made by the IARC Monographs programme are often used as a basis for national and international policies, guidelines, and recommendations to minimize cancer risks.
For information on hazardous substances in the workplace, including an HSR Action Plan and information about exposure standards, refer to our OHS Reps pages on Hazardous Substances and Exposure Standards – what are they?
Read more: IARC classifies automotive gasoline as carcinogenic to humans