What happens when Sun Control Films are removed?
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Update 23rd May 2012 - To add insult to injury, petrol prices are being hiked by Rs.7.50 per litre. Now without sun control films and extra use of A/C we would get lesser milage and end up paying more for it.
Did you know that:
- There is no such automobile glass that has 100% visible light transmission?
- The NGO outfit that filed a PIL in the Supreme Court was asking for 100% VLT?
- The maximum Ultra Violet Radiation Index from 21st May to 28th May for India is 11+?
- UVI of 11+ is classified as extreme by WHO?
- 20 - 30 minutes of daily exposure to these levels can eventually make you very sick?
- The Sun Control Film on car glasses filtered more than 50% of these UV Rays?
- When travelling in a car without Sun Control Film and without tinted glasses, you are completely exposed to the harmful UV rays?
Do you even care?
If you do, please spend the next 10 minutes reading the details below and take a few seconds more to fill in some basic data. Please.
I need this data to substantiate my arguments when I file for amendment of CMV rule 100(2). I care for my family enough to file for this amendment. Do you?
What am I trying to convey here?
A NGO outfit went and filed a PIL in the Supreme asking for all CARS to be equipped with 100% VLT glasses. The fact is, there is no such thing as 100% VLT glass. This demonstrates the depth of research that went into the PIL with the intention of "Saving the Common Man"
What they failed to understand or analyze, is the harm the exposure to Ultra Violet Rays cause. The so called Common Man had one protection against this silent killer, which has now been taken away, thanks to the half-baked PIL filed by this NGO.
Most car owners in India must be aware of the recent Supreme Court ruling banning Sun Control Film of any VLT% on
any of the car glasses. For the uninitiated, here are some core details.
CMV 1989 Rule 100 (2)
The glass of the windscreen and rear window of every motor vehicle shall be
such and shall be maintained in such a condition that the visual transmission
of light is not less than 70%. The glasses used for side windows are such and
shall be maintained in such condition that the visual transmission of light is
not less than 50%, and shall conform to Indian Standards.
Extract from the SC Ruling
16. In face of the language of the Rule, we cannot grant the petitioner the
relief prayed for, that there should be 100 per cent VLT. This Court cannot
issue directions that vehicles should have glasses with 100 per cent VLT. Rule
100 of the Rules is a valid piece of legislation and is on the statute book.
Once such provision exists, this Court cannot issue directions contrary to the
provision of law. Thus, we decline to grant this prayer to the petitioner.
17. However, the prayer relating to issuance of directions prohibiting use of
black films on the glasses of vehicles certainly has merit. On the plain
reading of the Rule, it is clear that car must have safety glass having VLT at
the time of manufacturing 70 per cent for windscreen and 50 per cent for side
windows. It should be so maintained in that condition thereafter. In other
words, the Rule not impliedly, but specifically, prohibits alteration of such
VLT by any means subsequent to its manufacturing. How and what will be a
“safety glass” has been explained in Explanation to Rule 100.
The Explanation while defining ‘laminated safety glass’ makes it clear that two
or more pieces of glass held together by an intervening layers of plastic
materials so that the glass is held together in the event of impact. The Rule
and the explanation do not contemplate or give any leeway to the manufacturer
or user of the vehicle to, in any manner, tamper with the VLT. The Rule and the
IS only specify the VLT of the glass itself.
18. Two scenarios must be examined. First, if the glass so manufactured already
has the VLT as specified, then the question of further reducing it by any means
shall be in clear violation of Rule 100 as well as the prescribed IS. Secondly,
the rule requires a manufacturer to manufacture the vehicles with safety
glasses with prescribed VLT. It is the minimum percentage that has been
specified. The manufacturer may manufacture vehicle with a higher VLT to the
prescribed limit or even a vehicle with tinted glasses, if such glasses do not
fall short of the minimum prescribed VLT in terms of Rule 100.
None can be permitted to create his own device to bring down the percentage of
the VLT thereafter. Thus, on the plain reading of the Rule and the IS
standards, use of black films of any density is impermissible. Another adverse
aspect of use of black films is that even if they reflect tolerable VLT in the
day time, still in the night it would clearly violate the prescribed VLT limits
and would result in poor visibility, which again would be impermissible.
What has not been addressed
So far so good. 70% front and rear sounds reasonable and all OEM glasses
comply. The side VLT specifications, though are decided based on number of
factors, visibility for the driver being the most important and protection of
the occupants being next.
Now the prescribed VLT. Why 50% on the side windows? The primary reason for
this is to protect the occupant(s) from harmful UV rays. Here is some useful
information:
In daily activity, much time is spent indoors and in vehicles. Although the
adverse effect of UV radiation is now well recognized , the role of window
glass in photoprotection has been rarely addressed. It has been known for some
time that window glass filters out UVB, but UVA and visible light are
transmitted. Factors affecting UV protective properties of glass are glass
type, glass color, interleave between glass, and glass coating. Recent
developments in the glass industry have resulted in window glass that provides
broad UV protection without the historically associated loss of visible light
transmission.
Electromagnetic radiation is broadly divided into infrared radiation, visible
light, and ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Heat is part of infrared radiation,
which is not visible to the human eye. Visible light is the wavelength range of
general illumination. UVR is divided into three distinct bands in order of
decreasing wavelength and increasing energy: UVA (320-400 nm), UVB (290-320 nm)
and UVC (200-290 nm). Different wavelengths and energy associated with UV
subdivision corresponds to distinctly different effects on living tissue. UVC,
although it possesses the highest energy and has the greatest potential for
biological damage, is effectively filtered by the ozone layer and is therefore
not considered to be a factor in solar exposure of human beings. During a
summer day, the ultraviolet spectrum that reaches the earth’s surface consists
of 3.5% UVB and 96.5% UVA.1 UVB is primarily associated with erythema and
sunburn. It can cause immunosuppression and photocarcinogenesis. UVA penetrates
deeper into the skin. In contrast to UVB, it is more efficient in inducing
immediate and delayed pigment darkening and delayed tanning than in producing
erythema. UVA is known to have significant adverse effects including
immunosuppression, photoaging, ocular damage, and skin cancer.
So, what harm can UV radiation do, afterall?
KEY FACTS
- Skin cancer is caused primarily by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation – either from the sun or from artificial sources such as sunbeds.
- Globally in 2000, over 200 000 cases of melanoma were diagnosed and there were 65 000 melanoma-associated deaths.
- Excessive sun exposure in children and adolescents is likely to contribute to skin cancer in later life.
- Worldwide approximately 18 million people are blind as a result of cataracts, of these 5% of all cataract related disease burden is directly attributable to UV radiation exposure.
- Sun protection is recommended when the ultraviolet index is 3 and above.
Ultraviolet radiation
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a component of solar radiation. UV radiation levels are influenced by a number of factors.
- Sun elevation: the higher the sun in the sky, the higher the UV radiation level.
- Latitude: the closer to the equator, the higher the UV radiation levels.
- Cloud cover: UV radiation levels are highest under cloudless skies but even with cloud cover, they can be high.
- Altitude: UV levels increase by about 5% with every 1000 metres altitude.
- Ozone: ozone absorbs some of the UV radiation from the sun. As the ozone layer is depleted, more UV radiation reaches the Earth's surface.
- Ground reflection: many surfaces reflect the sun’s rays and add to the overall UV exposure (e.g. grass, soil and water reflect less than 10% of UV radiation; fresh snow reflects up to 80%; dry beach sand reflects 15%, and sea foam reflects 25%).
Health effects
Small amounts of UV radiation are beneficial to health, and play an essential role in the production of vitamin D. However, excessive exposure to UV radiation is associated with different types of skin cancer, sunburn, accelerated skin ageing, cataract and other eye diseases. There is also evidence that UV radiation reduces the effectiveness of the immune system.
Effects on the skin
Excessive UV exposure results in a number of chronic skin changes.
- Cutaneous malignant melanoma: a life-threatening malignant skin cancer.
- Squamous cell carcinoma of the skin: a malignant cancer, which generally progresses less rapidly than melanoma and is less likely to cause death.
- Basal cell carcinoma of the skin: a slow-growing skin cancer appearing predominantly in older people.
- Photoageing: a loss of skin tightness and the development of solar keratoses.
Effects on the eyes
Acute effects of UV radiation include photokeratitis and photoconjunctivitis (inflammation of the cornea and conjunctiva, respectively). These effects are reversible, easily prevented by protective eyewear and are not associated with any long-term damage.
Chronic effects of UV radiation include:
- Cataract: an eye disease where the lens becomes increasingly opaque, resulting in impaired vision and eventual blindness;
- Pterygium: a white or creamy fleshy growth on the surface of the eye;
- Squamous cell carcinoma of the cornea or conjunctiva: a rare tumour of the surface of the eye.
Other health effects
UV radiation appears to diminish the effectiveness of the immune system by changing the activity and distribution of the cells responsible for triggering immune responses. Immunosuppression can cause reactivation of the herpes simplex virus in the lip ("cold sores").
Although glass effectively
blocks all of UVB radiation, UVA, especially the longer spectrum of UVA (UVA1)
can still be transmitted. Photosensitive patients can experience exacerbations
of their disease while driving or traveling by car. Transmission of UVR through
automobile glass depends on type and tint of glass. For safety reasons, all
windshields are made from laminated glass, which can filter most of UVA. However,
side and rear windows are usually made from non-laminated glass; therefore, a
significant level of UVA can pass through. Individuals traveling by car can be
exposed to considerable amount of UVA through side and rear windows. It should
be noted that as the UV transmission decreases, it is the long wave UV,
predominantly UVA1 that continues to be transmitted.
In a study of automobile window glass, it was demonstrated that tinted window
glass removed a significant amount of UVA; it allowed for 3.8 times less UVA to
be transmitted compared to untinted window glass. Parts of the drivers or
passengers’ bodies closest to a non-laminated or tinted window received the
most irradiation. The shoulder, arm, and hand of the driver are the body parts
that received the highest UV exposure. UV exposure was two to three times
greater in a smaller car compared to a larger car.
A study was conducted on UV transmission through samples of windshields, side
windows, rear windows and sunroofs of Mercedes-Benz cars. Windshields were
found to effectively block UV of wavelengths shorter than 375-385 nm. Back and
side windows were similar in UV protection and were less effective in filtering
UV than the windshield. Average UVA transmission through side windows and back
windows range from 0.8%- 17.5% and 0-25.7%, respectively. Sunroof glass filters
UV shorter than 335 nm. In this study, simulated UV exposure during driving was
done by placing dummies with attached dosimeters in the car. On the arm, the
averages of UVA exposure when the windows were shut and opened were 3%-4% and
25%-31% of ambient radiation, respectively. In an open convertible car, the
relative personal dose reached 62% of ambient radiation.
In a 2004 study, transmission of UVA through a range of automobile glass types
was assessed by measuring UV transmission of laminated and non-laminated glass,
each with different color tints. Clear non-laminated glass was found to have
the lowest UVA protection, followed by non-laminated light green, non-laminated
dark green and laminated clear glass. Grey tinted laminated glass provided the
highest UV protection. Only 0.9% of UVA was transmitted through gray tinted
laminated glass compared to 62.8% by non-laminated clear glass. UVA exposure in
automobiles is also influenced by non-glass related factors such as position of
the individual in a vehicle, direction of travel with respect to the sun and
time of the day. Clinical relevance of UV exposure in automobiles of the
photosensitive patients was also assessed.
A 5 J/cm2 dose of UVA, which is sufficient to induce cutaneous eruption in
patients with severe photosensitivity, could be obtained when the arm is placed
near a non-laminated clear window for 30 minutes. If a laminated gray window
was used as a substitute, at least 50 hours of UV exposure would be required to
produce skin lesions in those patients.
Automobile glass provides different properties of UV protection. Although
windshields are made from laminated glass, which can block a large amount of
UVA, most side and rear windows are tinted, but not laminated glass, therefore
UVA1 can still reach vehicle occupants. Enhanced photoprotection can be
achieved in automobiles through more comprehensive use of laminated glass. The
main reason that cars are not equipped with laminated glass all around is
because they are almost unbreakable. God have mercy on the occupant(s) of a car
equipped with laminated glass all around, who has just crashed and is trying to
break a window to get out, before the car bursts into flames.
The alternates are through the incorporation of glass coatings, or by tinting
or applying window film to non-laminated rear and side windows.
Here are specifications from 2 leading international auto glass manufacturers:
Saint Gobain:
Tempered Glass:
The "Securit" tempering process was discovered in Saint-Gobain's
laboratories in 1929, in the course of research undertaken at the request of
the automobile industry. The process, which consists of strengthening the glass
by very fast blast cooling (from 600 to 300° C in a few seconds), is used to
make automobile, building, and specialty flat glass. Tempered glass is also a
safety glass. A violent impact shatters tempered glass into many tiny
non-cutting fragments:
Applications - Generally, all windows except for the windshield.Type of glass - Clear, tinted
and deep tinted glass
Standard thickness : 3, 4, 5mm
Spectral data
See table below for average
values given for a thickness of 3.15mm.
Tolerances depend on production and measurement methods. For detailed information
and other thicknesses, please contact Saint-Gobain Sekurit.
Here is data from Guardian Industries:
From the above data, it is evident that tempered glass on its own does not provide UV filtering. Sun Control Film effectively filled this gap, but now they are illegal and have to go. So, who or what is going to save the regular car users from the harmful effects of UV rays?
Request to all
Visitors
Though Asahi supplies 77% of all auto glass in India, I am unable to find such
data for Asahi. I am in the process of communicating with Asahi and various car manufacturers to provide me with OEM glass specifications for various cars.
If you look at the glasses fitted on your car, you will see some codes / numbers printed on them.
What do those codes on glass mean?
The rear windshield and side glasses can be AS2 standard - tempered glass that has light transmission above 70%. This is just one pane of glass that is tempered and is typically 3.15 mm thick
Any glass, laminated or tempered, that has light transmission below 70% is AS3 standard and is typically used for sun roof.
All automotive glass must have a DOT code, which identifies the manufacturer. Mine has DOT 616, which translates to ASAHI INDIA SAFETY GLASS, LTD. HARYANA, INDIA. My rear windshield however has DOT 247, which translates to SANTA LUCIA CRISTAIS BLINDEX LTD, SAO PAULO, BRAZIL
The E code (with a capital 'E') is used for cars in European countries, and indicates the country that certified the windshield. My Palio has E2 on the windows - meaning France ,E8 on the front windshield, meaning Czech Republic and E1 on the rear windshield meaning Germany.
If the windshield has the E code on it, you may see a number above the E code, in roman numerals, that is likely slanted. The codes mean:
/ Extra Durable Windshield
// Regular Multiple Layer Windshield
/// Multiple layer windshield that underwent special treatment
IV Plastic Glass
V Non-windshield glass, tinting less than 70%
VI Double glass with tinting less than 70%
None Non-windshields with tinting less than 70%
What will the data collected here used for:
There are no grounds for challenging the Hon'ble Supreme Court ruling, as the Hon'ble Supreme Court has only interpreted and explained CMV Rule 100 (2). The data collected here will be used to file a petition to amend CMV Rule 100(2). The proposed amendment would be to make it mandatory for all car manufactures to:
1. Print the minimum VLT % on all glasses clearly
2. Provide tinted / UV treated glasses complying with the prescribed VLT % as standard fitting
3. Print UV transmission % on all glasses clearly
4. In the interim, allow use of Sun Control Film on Car Glasses
5. Introduce a minimum VLT % compliance certificate, similar to PUC
Please click here to take a 5 second survey about your car usage pattern, so I can analyze and come up with data pertaining to UV exposure and the potential harm it can cause.
No data collected here is of personally identifiable nature and will not be misused. If you choose to share your email address, it will never be disclosed to anyone, ever.
Click here to write to me.
Looking forward to your help.
Thanks,
Rajan
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Some points to ponder 
