What's in the new car smell?
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Researchers found flame retardants in the cabin air of all 101 cars that they tested. All of the cars were from 2015 or newer and 99% contained a particularly concerning flame retardant called TCIPP, currently being investigated as a potential cancer-causing compound.
The study found that seat foam is the most likely culprit of the chemicals, and that warmer weather — which accelerates off-gassing from interior components containing the chemicals— was linked to higher concentrations in the car air.
“Considering the average driver spends about an hour in the car every day, this is a significant public health issue,” lead author Rebecca Hoehn, a scientist at Duke University, said in a statement. “It’s particularly concerning for drivers with longer commutes as well as child passengers, who breathe more air pound for pound than adults.”
While certain classes of flame retardants, such as
polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been phased out, others are still
used to meet flammability standards for certain products. The researchers found
organophosphate ester flame retardants, which are commonly found in certain
foams, building materials, electronics and vehicles. Researchers have linked
various flame retardants from this class to negative birth problems,
reproduction impacts, cancer, and altered hormone function.
“Considering the average driver spends about an hour in
the car every day, this is a significant public health issue." - Rebecca
Hoehn, Duke University
Researchers and health advocates have pointed out that
flame retardants often do little to prevent fires, and that the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard that mandates flammability standards in cars was
introduced in the 1970s and hasn’t changed despite growing evidence of the
health impacts of the chemicals.
"Filling products with these harmful chemicals does
little to prevent fires for most uses and instead makes the blazes smokier and
more toxic for victims, and especially for first responders,” Patrick Morrison,
who oversees Health and Safety for 350,000 U.S. and Canadian firefighters at
the International Association of Fire Fighters, said in a statement. “I urge
[the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] to update their
flammability standard to be met without flame retardant chemicals inside vehicles."
California updated flammability standards for furniture
and baby products more than a decade ago, and research found that it led
to lower levels of harmful flame
retardant chemicals in people’s homes.
“You may be able to reduce your exposure to flame
retardants in your car by opening your windows and parking in the shade,”
co-author Lydia Jahl, a senior scientist at the Green Science Policy Institute,
said in a statement. “But what’s really needed is reducing the amount of flame
retardants being added to cars in the first place.
