Are there risks for the health?

Long-term exposure to high levels of benzene vapour in the workplace has been associated with damage to the bone marrow and a low incidence of a specific form of blood cancer. According to our current state of knowledge, today’s controls and working practices provide good protection against the development of these diseases.

The amount of benzene in the open air is many times lower than the high levels just mentioned, but its presence is nevertheless closely monitored.

It should be remembered that zero-risk products, whether natural or man-made, do not exist. Even common, over-the-counter pain-killers, for example, have to be taken following strict precautions, such as not exceeding a certain dose, or not ingesting them on an empty stomach. This is what "managing the risks" means.