A study released last week is worrying for those who like to drink in the “new car smell” of a vehicle rolling off the lot with its first owner.
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The study, published 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, the 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 that the cars contained high levels of formaldehyde, a chemical compound that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says could cause cancer, and acetaldehyde, a probable human carcinogen, according to the EPA.
“The detailed calculation indicates that the inhalation route plays an important role in cancer risk for exposed drivers and passengers,” the study said. In other words, breathing the chemicals can significantly increase a person’s chance of developing cancer.
Formaldehyde levels in new cars tested were 35 percent above China’s limit for the chemical, and acetaldehyde levels were 61 percent higher. The chemicals are used to make the plastic and leather that were in the cars tested in the investigation.
The researchers said the tests indicated that the warmer the climate, the higher the concentration of the chemicals detected.
According to a similar study in 2021, researchers at the University of California, Riverside found that the carcinogens benzene and formaldehyde exceeded safe levels in the car after a journey of about 20 minutes.
