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Apparently there are people out there who love “New Car Scent” so much that they made it into an air freshener along with “Caribbean Colada”, “Coconut” and “Morning Fresh”. You just upgraded your vehicle to make room for the newest member of your family, but once you find out what makes up that aroma, you won’t want to inhale too deeply…
You guessed it! Your new ride is a hiding place for harmful chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They are found in the plastic, fabric, adhesives and other places. Our recurring guests, PVC and phthalates, are big players once again as well as flame retardants (remember the PJs?) and heavy metals. Off-gassing is a process through which chemicals are released into the air where you can breathe them in. They also like to hang out in dust so you can touch and accidentally ingest them. A summary from an article in U.S. News 1:
“Unfortunately, the various VOCs found in new-car smell read like the induction list to the hazardous materials hall of shame; ethylbenzene, formaldehyde, and toluene. These VOCs are what you find in such products such as glue, nail polish remover, and paint. For some people, these chemicals can cause headaches, dizziness, allergic reactions, and even nausea. Prolonged exposure to VOCs can result in serious health effects, even cancer.”
My heart sank when I found out that my car actually came with this sticker on the window:
The Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, MI did a study in 2012 to rate various makes and models of vehicles based on the amount of VOCs they emitted into the interior of the cars. They rated the top 10 best and worst vehicles, as well as companies who were “most improved” 2. Despite my best efforts, I have been unable to find any updated findings from the subsequent 9 years.
OK, we need to get around…so what to do?
1) Buy a used car – They have already spent some time off-gassing. A lot of it occurs in the first 6 months to 2 years on an exponential decline. But even after the new car scent is gone, chemicals are still being released.
2) Watch out for “leatherette” – I recently found that for some dealerships, that is a fancy name for “seats made of toxic PVC”. And if you go for the heated seat option, watch out! Heating causes a significant increase in off-gassing. Don’t feel bad about asking what materials go into making the vehicle. You have a right to know, and if the dealers (through no fault of their own) aren’t yet aware that it’s important, they will now!
3) Soak it up -- Activated charcoal is great for absorbing VOCs. It lasts for about 2 years and can be reactivated each month by placing it in direct sunlight for an
hour or two. Zeolite is also a good non-toxic option for absorbing chemicals from the fabric. After spreading it on the fabric, leave it overnight and vacuum it up in the morning! Wiping the dust frequently is also helpful since VOCs like to hang out in there.
4) Ventilate! – Leave the windows down whenever you can. Heat and ventilate outside as much as possible, especially in the beginning, to get as much of that off-gassing procedure over with. And don’t feel silly being one of those people wearing their face mask while alone in their car during a pandemic… it may be serving another purpose by helping to decrease the amount of toxins you are breathing into your lungs!