Read for yourself. Here's the very scientific study.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4315878/
For the TLDR crowd, here's a few important excerpts:
Brake wear contains particles from all fractions involved in the respiratory function. Additionally, some constitu-ents of airborne brake wear particles have been recognized as dangerous or potentially dangerous for the human health. However, there are no comprehensive studies linking brake wear particles with adverse effects on human health, while it is difficult to extrapolate animal and in vitro studies to humans
Long story short for the "even that was TLDR" few, yeah, there are some small amounts of bad things in everything involving cars, including brake pads, but (despite attempts) in the post asbestos brake pad (an important fact for the few who apparently think brake pads are still made of asbestos?) world there's been no adverse health effects connected to brake dust.
Yup, as usual you are a poster boy for confirmation bias and cherry picking evidence to suit your dream world. On top of that you then make sh8t up to extrapolate to a completely baseless conclusion. This is the worst type of posting. Using Google search results with little to no capacity to accurately interpret the information. You are literally interpreting that statement about as poorly as possible.
Newsflash, the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
Comprehensive studies in the fields of air pollution are often unable to reasonably evaluate the health impacts of PM from different sources as it is a huge soup of different types, especially when nearly ubiquitous sources are of note. So the/these studies don't even try to. Those studies don't exist. I haven't observed a study that has even attempted to evaluate something like the epidemiological evidence of health effects from pm brake dust, can't reasonably separate it out from the other pm fraction sources and still have a strong enough signal in the epi data. Hence the toxicological evaluation which helps to determine the plausibility of potential of adverse effects from a compound or compounds.
Research is very well established that UFPs, PM2.5 and PM10 causes adverse health outcomes. Duh, so of course the fractions from brake dust can result in adverse health outcomes. Especially considering the toxic materials found in used brake dust (the tox studies).
So you support my view in the first half of your quote, and then dismiss it in the second half? Did you even read what you posted?
So, let's all use some critical thinking skills here - if brake dust (again, quantifying in the post asbestos era) was an evil toxin that was such a high risk you'd see every mechanic and quickie lube grease monkey under the sun coming down with all sorts of related illnesses. That doesn't seem to be the case.
I remember doing brakes with my old man back in the early 80's - he was a mechanic who owned his own 3 bay transmission and general repair shop. I spent a lot of time there growing up. Pads were asbestos then and there was some rudimentary precautions taken, although even then it wasn't "hazmat suit" type things. Most of those guys lived to ripe old ages, so forgive me if I refuse to believe unsubstantiated paranoia in which a modern day pad that is the greater majority either iron or ceramic by weight is somehow a death trap hiding behind our wheels.
Vehicle exhaust is far more worthy of concern. There ARE lots of connective studies linking it to health issues, main reason being is the content is far more harmful vs Iron and ceramic compounds from brake pads.
I don't see any critical thinking here at all. LOL. Anecdotes central. Comparative dismissing, mischaracterizing information. No one said modern brake pads are a "death trap". LOL.
Look up all the health issues associated with being a mechanic. Here are the chemical hazards alone from the ILO occupational hazard datasheet for the auto mechanic occupation.
Exposure to a wide range of industrial chemicals including heavy metals, contained in brake fluids, degreasers,
detergents, lubricants, metal cleaners, paints, fuel, solvents, etc., resulting in various forms of chronic poisoning:
- Skin diseases and conditions (various types of dermatitis, skin sensitization, eczema, oil acne, etc.)
caused by various chemicals, e.g.: adhesives, asbestos, antifreeze and brake fluids, epoxy resins,
gasoline, oils, nickel, colophon etc.
- Eye irritation, dizziness, nausea, breathing problems, headaches, etc., caused by contact with irritating
chemicals and their dusts and fumes, e.g.: antiknock agents (such as methylpentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl [MMT]), ketone solvents (such as methyl isobutyl keton [MIK]) etc.
- Asbestosis and mesothelioma caused by asbestos dust from brake drum cleaning and processing operation
- Chronic poisoning resulting from exposure to lead and its dust and fumes (esp. while repairing radiators,
handling storage batteries, welding, using paints and lubricants, etc.)
- Hematological changes as a result of exposure to solvents, such as benzene and its homologues, toluene,
xylene, etc.
- Increased risk of cancer due to inhalation of diesel exhaust fumes or contact with certain heavy metals
and their compounds, asbestos, benzene etc.
- Increased risk of organic brain damage due to inhalation of diesel exhaust fumes
- Acute eye and mucous membrane irritation, headaches, breathing difficulties, chest tightness etc., caused
by inhalation of NOx and respirable particulates
- Gastrointestinal disturbances as a result of accidental or chronic ingestion of adhesives
Here is a basic common sense supposition. Take brake material with various metals and other compounds, known to cause adverse human health effects, and subject it to extreme heat and shearing with the potential for funky reactions as well as various particulate size formation including ufp. Add that into the atmosphere with a soup of other PM and gas contaminants, where even more funky reactions take place. Now have people breath it in, significantly, chronically, old people, young people, sensitive people, insensitive people, etc. Of course there can reasonably be toxic or negative health effects, at least in some people. PM studies of the overall chemical soup show that.
Fact is they have studied PM around roadways and found negative health outcomes when comparing the populations living around those areas versus away from them. Living near a roadway is detrimental to population health. Obviously the sources of PM are fossil fuel combustion, tires, brake dust, and resuspended dust.
Research at this time just can't quantify the adverse health effects from the brake dust component in any significant detail. To which I say who cares? The overall soup is most relevant since that is what people are exposed to.