Air Purifier News: that "New Car Smell"New car smell? When we think about our cars' interior air quality, we tend to focuson shutting out smelly pollutants from other vehicles. But research conducted over the last decade concerning automotive chemicals is finally making the evening news. Interior air quality in the car is becoming an auto safety issue, as well as a health concern. My readers have seen the "90% of our time is spent indoors" pitch. But what about the time we spend in our autos? It averages 100 minutes a day! Some people "like" the new car smell, to them it is the smell of success. To me the new car smell is malodorous, like insect spray in a flowerbed. I can smell newer cars from outside. I am still smelling it in my 13 year old pickup, along with the old vehicle smells. A few people become a little too fond of chemical odors, the phrase "nose candy" comes to mind. Just a little harmless sniffing? Just what is the source of the odor of newness? What makes a car smell new? Everyone knows the automotive aroma of fresh plastic, paint and upholstery. What they usually don't know is that the new car smell comes from toxic concentrations five to 10 times higher than those in homes or offices. For those not exposed to occupational hazards, driving in our cherished car is the most toxic (and dangerous) thing we ever do.
Ticket to Ride: New Car
The new car smell of a recently built auto comes from fresh plastic, paint, and upholstery, acoustic insulation, wiring, glues, adhesives and sealers, all seeping into the air inside. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be responsible for the fresh vehicle scent. There is no part of a the interior which is not newly toxic at purchase. Gasoline vapors, lubricants, fluids and solvents, while worse in older cars, can also be present in the newest vehicle. These are higher toxic chemical levels than sick-building syndrome structures. Windshield film and dust samples collected in one study contained 30 to 40 different VOCs. The list included so many chemicals you could get a graduate chemistry degree just for reading it; The chemical structure of PBDEs, used as fire retardants, is related to banned polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PBDE in the breast milk of American women and in some fetuses are 10 to 100 times more concentrated than in Europe, where PDBE phaseout has begun. These same levels are demonstrated to impair learning and induce behavioral problems in lab mice. While researchers quibble over what concentration of phthalates, used primarily to soften PVC plastics, may be found in auto interiors, millions of customers are in dealer's showrooms. Here Comes the SunVehicles' interiors are a laboratory for outgassing of toxic chemicals from upholstery, paint and plastics. Because cars sit out in direct sunlight, they are exposed to ultraviolet rays and heat much more intense than residential furnishings. Everyone knows not to leave children or pets in closed autos: air inside cars can reach 192 degrees Fahrenheit. When the air temperature inside a car is that hot, plastic and painted surfaces are much hotter, causing unhealthy VOC concentrations in newer cars.
New Car Smell: Unhealthy at any SpeedMore people are experiencing asthma and allergy symptoms, getting headaches and fatigue after exposure to the new car smell. The smell can produce headaches, sore throats, burning eyes, and nausea. Immediate danger comes from chemicalinduced fatigue and drowsiness. In animal tests, these chemicals are associated with; While toxin levels fall rapidly in the first months of a car's life, the vapors are never gone. Trace levels just blend in with the old car smells; mold, gasoline, and smoke. On a hot summer day, older cars are cooking still.
Automakers worldwide have been trying to cut VOC levels, with Japan leading. But studies which purport to show these interior vapors are harmless have also appeared, suggesting the industry is moving on two fronts. While some owners dislike the new car smell, others regard it as a status symbol. A brisk business in aerosol and liquid "new car scents" keeps older cars smelling new. Manufacturers of these scent products are not required to label ingredients, and are not volunteering to answer questions. Baby, You Can Drive My Car"Did you bring the new car buyers safety equipment checklist, Honey?" "Yes Dear; 4 wheel disc brakes, front and rear crumple zones, child seat anchors, seatbelts, side impact bars and airbags, air purifier. I think that's everything."
If you are looking for a fresh ride, be aware that higher priced "luxury" cars, while generally much safer accident wise, are not necessarily cleaner. The Japanese are working hard, but Volvo is the current world leader in VOC reduction in car interiors. Drivers can slow the rate of chemical release by opening windows, using solar reflectors, and parking in shade. Just bought a new car? Oops. If it still has that "fresh" smell, I suggest rolling down the windows on the way to an air purifier store. Here is the best application of ozone generators, hydroxyl radicals, plasmacluster ions, and other oxidizing agents. Run the oxidant-maker in the car overnight, with the car empty, to remove the smell. Air out the vehicle for several minutes afterwards. End New Car Smell, try Sitemap for navigation
|
