Health Warning section in GPS manual?

Question

I just got a new GPS for my car and as I'm reading the Health Warning section in the manual it says "This product, its packaging, and its components contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm."

Okay, I know that the GPS emits radiation--which causes cancer, but how does the packaging harm me? Is it only if ingest the material, or do I get "harmed" just by touching the packaging? Wtf nothing's safe these days...The worst part is I was smelling the packaging before I read the warning.

Answer 1

A GPS DOES NOT TRANSMIT ANYTHING!!!!!!! It is strictly a radio receiver using the constant locator beacons emitted by the GPS satelites to triangulate a location and then uses internal software to take that info and apply it to a map. It updates constantly and therefore can plot your progress on a specific road etc.. The warning is concerning the plastics and their constituent chemicals during the manufacturing process. It is a CYA disclaimer and has no relevant warnings to the final consumer. *In other words don't consume your new GPS or any part of the packaging.

Answer 2

First off, radio waves from your GPS unit don't cause cancer. They don't have enough energy to do any real damage even if all that energy was deposited inside you (which only a tiny fraction of it is). Only short microwave, UV, X-ray or Gamma rays can harm people, not radio or long microwaves.



The packaging of the material would only be dangerous if you ingested it. Your skin won't absorb it. While dangerous chemicals were no doubt used to make it, that doesn't mean they're a danger to the user.

Answer 3

Just remember the liberal idiots in charge in California. To them, EVERYTHING causes cancer, so where do you draw the line. There's still just so much the doctors don't know...your genetic make-up, family history of cancer, what other cancer-causing evils have you been exposed to? In short, your GPS might give you cancer (just like being out in the sun too much), but it probably won't. You would probably need several years' worth of exposure to incur any risk. Bottom line? If the convenience of having the GPS outweighs the risks to you, then keep it. If not, get rid of it.