Airbag Dangers - Other sources

Sodium Azide - the chemical danger

Airbags use Sodium Azide as an explosive. Unfortunately, Sodium Azide and its by- product, Hydrazoic Acid, are some of the most lethal poisons known. If the public understood that airbags contained Cyanide, for instance, there would be a tremendous outcry. Yet the toxicity of Sodium Azide is as great, though much less known to the public.  

In addition to the toxicity, the chemical can burn the eyes and lungs. Dr. Bruce Prum, an Ophthalmologist and professor at the University of Virginia, and his wife Debbie, a former director of Injury Prevention and Research at Dartmouth University, are trying to get the message out to Emergency Medical and Emergency 'Room personnel that in cases where airbags have deployed into the face, irrigation with water is important immediately. Unfortunately, this is not so easy where the lungs are affected. For an excellent discussion of Sodium Azide and its effects see  www.airbagsyndrome.org

The environmental hazard of disposing of Sodium Azide is less known. For information try: www.sdearthtimes.com/et0800/et0800s9.html 

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