That “New Car Smell” Can Kill You!

In the grand scheme of things, it seems like just about everything except water is carcinogenic these days, and even with good ol’ H2O, the source must often be called into question. But the latest finding from the Ecology Center is a bit of a shocker: The intoxicating scent of a brand new automobile is apparently due to truly toxic materials.

The big culprits are bromine, chlorine, and lead, which are frequently-used materials in car parts such as the steering wheel, shift knob, armrest/center console, dashboard, headliner, carpet, seat front, seat back, seat base, hard door trim, soft door trim, body sealer, wiring, window seal and wheel weights. Bromine is a popular flame-retardant chemical; chlorine is used in polyvinyl chloride, PVC and plasticizers. Lead and other heavy metals are used in alloys and plastic additives in your interior auto parts.

The immediate exposure to the driver and the passengers in these automobiles is alarming, but of equal concern is that these elements are passed on to the ecosystem when said cars are eventually junked.

When vehicles are discarded at the end of their life, the majority of plastic and other non-metallic parts are shredded and put in landfills or burned in incinerators. When discarded in landfills, harmful chemicals contained in vehicle plastics can leach out and contaminate soil and water. When incinerated, toxic chemicals are dispersed throughout the atmosphere.

200 of the most popular American rides were tested; the least and worst offenders are listed after the jump.

A partial list of the potential health ailments from exposure to this stuff includes: liver, thyroid and developmental problems in children, decreased fertility, allergies, birth defects, brain damage, liver toxicity, damage to the thyroid, ovaries, kidneys, and blood, and, of course, the big C.

HealthyCar.Org Released Today As First-Ever Consumer Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Cars; Over 200 New Vehicles Ranked for Environmental Safety [healthycar.org]