A study released last week is concerning for those who love to drink in the “new car smell” of a vehicle rolling off the car lot with its first owner.
The study, released by Harvard University and the Beijing Institute of Technology in China, shows that the chemicals that create the new car smell could increase the risk of developing cancer.
Published last week in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, researchers offered the results of tests that used sensors to detect various chemicals in cars that were sealed and parked outside for 12 days.
The test revealed the cars contained high levels of both formaldehyde, a chemical compound the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says could cause cancer, and acetaldehyde, a probable human carcinogen, according to the EPA.
“Detailed calculation indicates that the inhalation route plays a significant role in the risk of cancer for drivers and passengers exposed,” the study said. In other words, breathing in the chemicals can significantly increase the chance a person can develop cancer.
The levels of formaldehyde in the new cars tested were 35 percent above China’s limit for the chemical, and the levels of acetaldehyde were 61 percent higher. The chemicals are used in making the plastic and leather that were in the cars tested in the research.
The researchers said that testing indicated that the warmer the weather the higher the concentration of the chemicals detected.
According to a similar study in 2021, University of California, Riverside researchers found that carcinogens benzene and formaldehyde exceeded safe levels in the car after a drive of around 20 minutes.
