WHO Reports Cancer Risk from Gasoline and Benzene Exposure

Exposure to automobile gasoline can cause cancer — a conclusion that could pave the way for much needed accountability from the petroleum industry and new safety regulations, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) released its findings in March, classifying automotive gasoline as “carcinogenic to humans.” According to the agency, there is sufficient scientific evidence to confirm that gasoline exposure can cause urinary bladder cancer and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive blood cancer. This determination is based in part on decades of research linking benzene exposure to such cancers. Benzene is a key component of gasoline.

This is the first time since 1988 that the WHO has reassessed gasoline’s cancer risks. Although the full scientific data won’t be published until 2026, the classification itself is significant — and lawyers say it could help cancer victims obtain justice from responsible parties.

Does Benzene Cause Cancer?

The central concern is benzene, a widely used industrial chemical and natural part of crude oil and gasoline. Benzene is not new to scientific scrutiny. U.S. health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have long recognized benzene exposure as a cause of blood cancers. Research shows that even relatively low-level exposure, especially over long periods, can increase risks of AML.

The WHO report explores this evidence on a global scale. By officially linking gasoline and the benzene it contains to cancer, the IARC classification could open the door for individuals to bring benzene lawsuits not only for workplace exposures but also for community exposures near gas stations, refineries or storage facilities.

Taking Responsibility for Benzene Exposure

Lawsuits over benzene exposure are not hypothetical. They have already produced some of the largest jury verdicts in recent years. In Philadelphia, Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel secured a $725 million verdict against ExxonMobil on behalf of a former service station worker who developed AML after years of handling gasoline. That case was one of the largest toxic exposure verdicts in the nation in 2023, and it has received extensive national media attention.

Such outcomes suggest that future benzene lawsuit settlements and verdicts could reach into the hundreds of millions as courts weigh both the health risks and the oil industry’s knowledge of the connection between benzene and AML and other cancers.

Sounding Alarm for Those Living and Working Near Petroleum Operations

The WHO report will likely intensify scrutiny not only of workplace exposures but also of consumer-level risks. For example:

• Service station employees: Frequent handling of gasoline during fueling or maintenance may create long-term exposure risks.
• Refinery workers: Those working in production and storage facilities face concentrated benzene exposure.
• Communities near facilities: Residents living close to refineries or fuel depots may experience elevated benzene levels in air and groundwater.
• Children of workers exposed to gasoline: Evidence has linked some increases in childhood cancers to parental exposure to gasoline.

For individuals facing diagnoses such as AML, the question often becomes whether their illness is tied to benzene and whether legal options are available. That’s where benzene exposure lawyers step in to investigate potential claims and pursue accountability.

How We Help Victims of Benzene Exposure

Seek justice with the help of our experienced attorneys. Our Dallas, Texas, benzene law firm has battled corporate giants on behalf of individuals like you for 20 years, aggressively fighting to hold them responsible for dangerous chemicals and the personal injuries and cancers they cause. If you have suffered a catastrophic injury caused by dangerous products, we can help.