Just read the following in todays' Straits Times, Singapore (20.12.01) (straitstimes.asia1.com.sg./home).
A warning that the smell of a new car actually contains high levels of toxic air emissions that can make a driver ill. Includes a cancer causing toxin acetone which irritaes the mucous membrane: ethylbenzene - a systemic toxic agent and xyleneisomers which affect foetal development. Apparently within minutes one can experience discomfort, drowsiness, fatigue and confusion, eye, ear, nose irritation and headaches.
The study was carried out by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organsisation.
Toxins remain for up to an beyond 6 months and to avoid it is recommended that plenty of fresh air gets into the vehicle while they are driven for the first 6 months.
Did not mention which cars tested apart from the fact that two were Australian.
Could this explain the increasing poor driving behaviour perhaps?
Anybody got a WWII gas mask for sale?
DVD
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Dwight,
I was aware that many new plastics gave off some type of "emission", hadn't really thought about it in terms of that lovely new car smell.
Another reason to thank the new car owners for breaking them in/depreciating them for us poor folks.
There must be something in it. We ended up with a "free" bag/luggage set the other year, of the very worse quality. They were all stored in the landing cupboard and, even after three months, the plastic smell was overpowering. In the end I threw then away just in case there was a level of toxicity.
I look forward to one of our tech boffins (Stuart B, John S?) giving chapter and verse on this.
David
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Many plastic articles, especially those made from PVC, contain plasticisers to add flexibility to the material. They are usually not chemically bonded to the plastic and slowly dissipate with a typical smell - probably the one in your landing cupboard, Dave. If memory serves, they are commonly phthalates, not solvents like ethylbenzene - but no better for one's health I should think (though as they are involatile the concentration must be pretty low).
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What about the 'new car scent' flavour Magic Tree air fresheners?
Do they soak them in toxic plastic fumes or something???
Mind you, most air fresheners you buy today smell like theres something toxic in them...
Sorry to distract from the serious,
Mark.
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I am told that the new car smell is predominantly corrosion inhibitor of some kind.
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The 'noxious' smell in new cars from the seat foams etc is causing problems with seat airbag wiring connectors on two makes of car I know of.......
Causes the connection to go o/c and flag the SRS warning lamp on.
Clean it with WD40 and re-insulate with electrical cleaner spray and all is well for evermore.
Makes you wonder what it does to your health.......
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I can promise you this is a serious problem for some people. My Mk1 Laguna gave me violent headaches in warm weather. Minimised by always leaving the roof open a small amount, or oterwise properly venting the car before driving it.
Took around 4 years to go completely
Mike Holland
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>>>My Mk1 Laguna gave me violent headaches in warm weather
Mine used to do that. I just assumed that I went through a period in life where I got a lot of headaches. Funny to think it could of been the car all along.
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Is all this why many new cars are left out to rust for months?
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I hope acetone isn't carcinogenic as I used to spent an awful lot of time washing samples with that stuff.
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