Australians Campaign Against Organophosphates

Once you're aloft, how clean is the air that you breathe inside the cabin? One group, based in Australia, says it's so filled with dangerous vapors that it's a life-threatening hazard. Now, they're selling a video they hope will educate flight crews around the world. Here's their story:

AOPIS is a non profit group (Aviation Organophosphate Information Site), set up by "airline crews from all over the globe to address the issue of aviation oil lubricants and hydraulic fluids leaking into aircraft air supply systems resulting on occasion in crew and passengers breathing contaminated air containing a range of hazardous and toxic substances."

The contaminants of concern include neurotoxins, organophosphates, sensitizers, carcinogens and carbon monoxide. Some of the contaminants come from engine oils such as Mobil Jet Oil II, which contains a known skin sensitizer at hazardous levels, Tricresyl phosphate, an organophosphate (OP) / neurotoxin with the toxicity underestimated by industry by up to 30,000 times.

The industry has accepted crews and passengers being exposed to contaminated air whilst knowing it has failed to review the worrying synergistic effects of the ingredients which are heated to high temperatures at altitude under reduced atmospheric pressures. Neither does it look at the effect of long term low dose OP exposure and its effects.

The Mobil Jet Oil II safety label states that "...prolonged or repeated breathing of oil mist, or prolonged or repeated skin contact can cause nervous system disorders". Industry has been well aware that crews were being exposed to contaminated air from at least 1977, yet insists that inhalation of these fumes, is only a comfort issue, with no long-term health effects possible. The oil manufacturer admits that while oil leakage is an abnormal condition, it is not unsafe.

The aviation industry has disregarded its own ventilation airworthiness regulations (25.831a/b), which are required to be met at all times in order for safe flight, yet at the same time provided industry with extensive non mandatory service & aircraft modification bulletins dating back to the late 1970s and 1980s clearly indicating the existence of the problem. Only recently, nearly 20 years later, has the UK CAA made 2 industry bulletins mandatory, (despite being required to do so when it considers an unsafe condition exists or could exist / develop).

The aviation industry has insisted that inhalation of these fumes, is only a comfort issue, with no long-term health effects possible. However, many exposed crews (some having breathed contaminated air for years) suffer from repeated short-term symptoms or become ill long-term with little, if any, recovery and in some cases pilots have lost their medical certificates required to fly. The range of symptoms in airline crews include heart problems, lung disorders, neurological & neurobehavioral disorders, sensitivity to chemicals, permanent head pressure, headaches, fatigue, weakness, upper respiratory irritations, gastrointestinal problems, autonomic dysfunction, etc. Recent testing in crew has shown neurological autonomic abnormalities which are considered consistent with those seen in farmers exposed to OPs in sheep dips. Some passengers get symptoms but are unaware of the link to having being exposed to contaminated air.

Various papers have now been published into this issue including the toxicity of the oil and the health effects suffered by crews and many are listed on the web site under the scientific/reports section.

While certain types of aircraft are known to experience greater problems than others, the problem of air supply contamination is in fact a global one and affects numerous aircraft types such as the BAe 146, B757, A320& MD80. The health & safety implications remain the same for each exposure.

AOPIS members have been researching this issue for over 6 years and have just released a documentary on this issue. Its web site is touted as the world's leading source of information on aviation air supply contamination collating information so as to raise awareness, seek a solution to resolve the problem and ensure much needed research is undertaken into the medical, scientific and toxicity issues as well as review air safety implications.

The Video

"Cabin Air Contamination" is now complete and has been put together to raise awareness and raise funds for research into this issue. The documentary, filmed in 5 countries over 6 months, runs for 50 minutes and includes the following areas:

Overview

• 3D graphics of aircraft air systems & air contamination process
• Initial effects of exposure
• What the scientific experts are finding
• What the medical experts are finding
• What ingredients in the oils are of concern
• Long-term medical effects
• What industry has to say
• What regulations are being broken
• How long has this been known
• How often does this happen
• Legal intro
• Health & safety issues to crews and passengers
• Senate Inquiry, other Gov Inquiries & the "cover-ups"

FMI: www.aopis.org