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New car smell linked to cancer, birth defects: report
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Autos Canada
Ah, take a deep breath of that new car smell. The scent of happiness, isn't it? And: toxins. Bromine, chlorine, lead, and heavy metals--all found in car interiors--have been linked to a wide range of health problems.
That new car smell - more seductive to motorists than anything from Chanel - may be hazardous to your health, according to an American environmental study.
The scent is a medley that arises from the off-gassing of the plastics, leathers, and textiles in the car's interior. The chemicals, suggests Ecology Center, the report's authors, contribute to a variety of acute, long-term health concerns. Bromine, chlorine, lead, and heavy metals--all found in trace amounts--have been linked to a wide range of health problems such as allergies, birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, and cancer.
Even such seemingly harmless items as air fresheners may pose a threat. They can emit benzene, a carcinogen for which there is no safe level. Says Jeff Gearhart, the Center's research director, "Automobiles are some of the most hazardous environments we live in."
Unlike emissions at the tailpipe, these pervasive chemicals are not regulated. As a result, consumers are largely unaware of the hazards they represent. Since 1976, for example, there has been more than a 10-fold increase in the amount of synthetic components in automobiles. In the 1970s, the typical vehicle contained 10 kilograms pounds of synthetics while today the average car contains a whopping 112 kilos pounds of plastics, glues, and other synthetics.
Canadian-made Honda Civic named world's "healthiest" car, Mitsubishi Outlander drivers advised to hold their breath
This is the fourth year for the HealthyStuff.org study. which put the Canadian-built Honda Civic to the top of its 2011-2012 "Healthiest" list. Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2 owners, on the other hand, are well advised to hold their breath. After finding evidence of chromium and bromine throughout the car the Center consigned the Sport 2 to the ecological cellar.
But even from the last place cars Gearhart sees improvement. "That's what's so encouraging," he says. "We're seeing a positive response to the HealthyStuff studies. Companies like Honda and Ford and Volvo are leading the way to a healthier ride."
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